Sant Fruitós to pay 422,000 euros to El Lledoner care home over rates dispute

The City Council reaches an out-of-court settlement with the operator l'Onada to settle debts from four court rulings.

Generic image of a town hall facade with stone details and institutional architecture.
IA

Generic image of a town hall facade with stone details and institutional architecture.

The Sant Fruitós de Bages City Council is set to pay 422,000 euros to the company l'Onada, the operator of the El Lledoner municipal care home, following several court defeats.

The legal conflict arose between 2021 and 2023 when the previous local government blocked the company's requests to update its service rates. Four consecutive court rulings favored l'Onada, confirming their right to adjust prices according to their contract.

"This is wasted money that we could have spent on maintenance, streets, or other investments."

Joan Carles Batanés · Mayor of Sant Fruitós de Bages
An out-of-court agreement has allowed the council to save 75,000 euros in interest charges. The total compensation will be paid by the end of December, putting an end to a period of strained relations between the administration and the care home management.