Santiago de Calatrava approves the free lease of premises to associations

The City Council of Santiago de Calatrava has definitively approved the Ordinance regulating the use of municipal public spaces, which establishes the regime for the free assignment of municipal premises and facilities in favor of non-profit associations and entities within the municipality. The regulation is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Jaén number 178, dated September 14, 2026, under reference 2026/4084, and will enter into force the day following its publication.

Since no claims were filed during the public exhibition period, the provisional plenary agreement was automatically elevated to definitive status, in compliance with article 17.4 of the Recast Text of the Law Regulating Local Treasuries, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 2/2004, of March 5. The announcement is signed by the acting mayor, Pablo José Ruz Olivan, dated August 28, 2026.

A regulation for the associative fabric

The ordinance responds to the growing demand for municipal premises by associations, both to have a stable social headquarters and for the performance of specific activities. The text is based on Law 33/2003, of November 3, on the Heritage of Public Administrations, and Law 7/1999, of September 29, on the Assets of Local Entities of Andalusia, and is issued in exercise of the regulatory power provided for in article 4 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of Local Regime.

Legally constituted non-profit entities, registered in the registry of associations and with a registered office in Santiago de Calatrava, who are up to date with their tax and Social Security obligations, may be beneficiaries. The assignment will be carried out under a competitive bidding regime through a public call, with a duration of between 2 and 4 years, extendable for another two, and without the payment of a fee or rent.

Award criteria and scoring

To access a premises, entities must obtain a minimum score of 48 points, according to the following criteria:

• Need for the premises: 25 points.
• Activity projects open to the citizenry: 25 points.
• Suitability of the premises for the intended uses: 15 points.
• Shared use projects between two or more entities: 15 points.
• Track record of the entity: 10 points.
• Representativeness (number of members): 10 points.
• Social value and technical quality of the project: 20 points.

As a general rule, the provision will occur under a shared use regime among several entities, unless circumstances of public interest arise that justify exclusive use. Priority will be given to the assignment to entities that promote equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and universal accessibility.

Obligations, sanctions, and termination

Beneficiary entities must maintain the premises, pay for water, electricity, gas, and cleaning utilities, and take out an insurance policy with coverage of 100,000 euros per claim. The sanctioning regime distinguishes three degrees of infringement:

• Minor infringements: fines from 100 to 500 euros.
• Serious infringements: fines from 501 to 1,000 euros.
• Very serious infringements: fines from 1,001 to 1,800 euros.

The assignment may be terminated due to revocation, waiver, dissolution of the entity, or lack of use of the premises for more than three months, among other causes. Entities already using municipal premises must submit their application for assignment within two months from the entry into force of the ordinance.

The approval of this regulation represents a key step in consolidating the associative fabric of Santiago de Calatrava, by providing legal certainty and a transparent and free procedure for associations to access municipal spaces, favoring citizen participation and the development of cultural, educational, and social activities in the municipality.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Jaén, number 178, September 14, 2026, Local Administration, page 13582 (official reference: 2026/4084).