Arenas del Rey delegates waste collection to the Provincial Council

The City Council of Arenas del Rey has unanimously approved, in a plenary session held on August 28, 2026, to delegate to the Provincial Council of Granada the provision of the essential public service of municipal waste collection and transport. The agreement, signed by Mayor Pedro Ramos Almenara, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Granada number 173, dated September 8, 2026, and will enter into force the day following its publication.

The delegation, which has an indefinite period of validity, is based on articles 26.1 a) and 26.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime, article 9.6 of Law 5/2010, of June 11, on local autonomy of Andalusia, and article 12.5 of Law 7/2022, of April 8, on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy. The framework is completed by the Regulatory Ordinance for the Provision of the Municipal Waste Collection Service, definitively approved by the Provincial Council and published in BOP number 198, dated October 17, 2025.

Scope of the delegation

The transferred competence includes not only the material provision of the service, but also the powers of regulation, planning, management, and sanctioning. The effective provision will begin once the necessary files are completed, particularly the service procurement process, such that the delegation will not be effective until that date.

The agreement refers to Option A of the ordinance, which comprises:

• Selective collection of bio-waste and the residual fraction.
• Separate collection of packaging, paper-cardboard, glass, textiles, oil, and batteries.
• Collection of bulky waste.

Effective cost and new fee

Pursuant to article 26.2 of Law 7/1985, the Provincial Council will charge the City Council the effective cost of the service based on its use, and the municipality is obliged to pay the amount of the resulting settlements. The cost will be determined quarterly by the Provincial Waste Collection Service, multiplying the tons collected and transported by the cost per ton, with subsequent regularization and credit compensation in case of non-payment.

In parallel, and in accordance with article 11.3 of Law 7/2022, the City Council commits to maintaining in force a specific, differentiated, and non-deficit fee that allows for the implementation of pay-as-you-throw systems, including the real cost of collection and transport operations, maintenance and surveillance, as well as awareness campaigns. The collection of the fee will be the responsibility of the City Council, without prejudice to its possible delegation to the Provincial Tax Service.

Conditions and revocation

The City Council may only revoke the delegation if it justifies to the Provincial Council that it can provide the service at a lower effective cost, and it must reimburse the expenses incurred, including any compensation that may be due to the contractor. Disputes regarding interpretation and compliance shall be resolved before the contentious-administrative courts of Granada, and data protection matters shall be governed by Law 3/2018, of December 5, and Regulation (EU) 2016/679.

The decision places Arenas del Rey among the municipalities joining the Provincial Council’s Provincial Waste Collection Service, under a supra-municipal coordination model that seeks effectiveness, efficiency, and economy. For residents, the change implies the implementation of a pay-as-you-throw fee, which will adjust the contribution to the amount of waste produced, in line with circular economy objectives.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Granada, no. 173, September 8, 2026, Local Administration section, pp. 22-24 (official reference: BOP-GRA-2026-173005).