Outgoing mayor, José Bernal says farewell but promises to return

The outgoing mayor of Marbella José Bernal was praised for the dignified way in which he passed the "baton" over to Ángeles Muñoz, a process for which he said he had "the utmost respect".

In an open letter to the people of Marbella he said that he didnt understand how OSP, his coalition partners for two years, had "handed power to the Partido Popular in exchange for nothing". In the letter he explained that "over these past two years a group of honourable councilors have returned integrity to the council administration. We have transformed whole neighbourhoods and brought down unemployment rates to pre-crisis levels, reduced the huge debt that the town hall had, improved conditions of equality for town hall workers and brought important sporting events to the municipality."