A businessman in southern Tenerife has lodged a criminal complaint against four councillors from the Canary Coalition in Arona, all of whom hold deputy mayor positions and are part of the Local Government Board, for alleged administrative misconduct.
The complaint targets Clara María Pérez Pérez, Ruth Guacimara Martín López, Guacimara Tavío Fumero, and Héctor Timoteo Reyes González. During the investigation, further responsibilities could be identified.
The issue dates back to September 2020 when a development company applied for a major works permit to demolish an unfinished building and construct a new cultural and recreational centre on a plot in Camino Montaña Chayofita, Los Cristianos. The complaint claims that, although the legal timeframe for resolving such applications is three months, no decision had been made six years after the application was submitted.
According to the complaint, after addressing the initial deficiencies and submitting a revised project, all necessary documentation was in order by summer 2026. This included a positive urban planning report dated 18 June 2026, alongside supportive documents indicating a favourable resolution proposal on 6 July, albeit subject to conditions.
However, on 7 July, the Local Government Board decided to withdraw the matter from the agenda for further review, intending to clarify questions about the project. Two weeks later, on 21 July, the four councillors submitted a request for a new legal report on the validity of a planning project approved in 1999, leading the Board to again postpone the application.
This delay is central to the criminal complaint, which asserts that the councillors’ request for a new opinion was unnecessary as the municipal technicians had already positively assessed the application. The complaint also argues that the councillors failed to identify any legal faults that would prevent the licensing process.
At the time of filing the complaint, over two months had passed since the application was deemed ready for approval, yet there was no indication that the new report had been issued or that the issue was back on the agenda. Furthermore, by 22 September, six years had passed since the original application was submitted.
The complainants’ lawyers believe this inaction could amount to a crime of administrative misconduct by omission, arguing that the local officials had a duty to resolve the application and their inaction, despite favourable reports, suggests intentional delay. The complaint states that the councillors were aware of the progress of the application and the positive reports.
Moreover, the complaint highlights significant economic damage to the developer due to project delays, with specific losses to be quantified later alongside potential civil liability claims.
Among the requests made to the court are statements from the four councillors as identified suspects, as well as testimony from municipal officials involved in processing the application. The complaint also seeks a complete and certified copy of the urban planning file from the council, clarification on any resolutions issued, and the report requested in July, or confirmation that it was not produced.
Additionally, the complaint requests records of the Local Government Board meetings on 7 and 21 July and subsequent sessions to determine how the application was handled and whether it was re-added to any agenda.
This complaint has been filed with the Arona Court’s Instruction Section, requesting its admission and the initiation of the corresponding investigative proceedings.
