The waste collection service in the city of Lleida continues to be provided under a contract awarded to ILNET two decades ago, originally set to expire in March 2016. However, two previous administrations decided to extend it until March 2024. The second of these extensions, lasting six years, was promoted by the then Urban Planning councilor with the aim of implementing a door-to-door collection system in neighborhoods such as Balàfia, Pardinyes, and Ciutat Jardí.
This decision meant that the subsequent government inherited a contract already extended beyond its term. Nevertheless, the republican executive began work on a new contract, preparing two technical reports that have served as the basis for the current government's new tender. This situation has been described as a legacy explaining the complexity of the current state of affairs.
The current government's handling of this legacy has been severely questioned. The responsible councilor took 33 months, from July 2023 to March 2026, to award the new contract, a fact that has been labeled as incompetence. During this period, the government has resorted to improvisation, successive extensions, erratic timelines, and repeatedly unfulfilled forecasts, often justifying itself with alleged legal endorsements.
“"They have failed to tender and award the contract within a reasonable timeframe or manage the extensions with the necessary rigor. It's not bad luck; it's poor management: delays in specifications, lack of foresight, and inability to anticipate a recourse that is absolutely common in a tender of this magnitude."
The result of this management includes five extensions in a single term—seven in total—prolonging the contract until December 16 of this year, perpetuating an exhausted model without addressing the core issues. The government's lack of self-criticism has been another point of contention, interpreted as an inability to acknowledge errors in the tendering and extension management.
Meanwhile, the citizens of Lleida bear the consequences, facing a higher waste fee for a service that does not improve and fails to meet announced deadlines. In two years, the tax burden in Lleida has increased by over 9 million euros. Consequently, there have been demands to freeze the fee at 2025 prices and refund increases until the new contract is in place and the service improves. There is also a call to reinforce the current service with additional brigades or by extending existing contracts, as the funds for this are already budgeted.
This situation is perceived as a reflection of a governing style that, instead of admitting mistakes, prefers to blame others and confuses marketing with management. A government that makes grand announcements before solving problems and, when reality disproves them, neither rectifies nor provides explanations. This attitude has generated great disappointment and is considered a symptom of a government lacking self-criticism, capacity for correction, and leadership.
