The aim of this letter is to inform you about several changes taking place in the Foreigners Department with the purpose of improving the attention you receive. As the new Tourism and Foreigners Delegate during the next four years my goal is to achieve constant dialogue between both Parties.

First of all we will create a board with the representation of several foreign associations to make you participate in all the decisions to be taken by the Municipal Corporation which we pretend to be based on consensus.

We also want to point out the significance of being registered on the Municipal Census, this fact is of major importance for our Department. An informative campaign will be developed to explain the advantages of registration and the significance of knowing the real number of foreign residents living in Marbella, taking into account that the subsidies given to the City by the Central Government and by the Junta de Andalucia depend directly on the number of registered residents (more schools, police, health services…).

Finally, we will try to shorten the response time from Municipal Services, our Personnel will attend all your requests in the different departments and also a new office will be open in Nueva Andalucia, accommodating the large amount of foreign residents that live in that area going to Puerto Banus or San Pedro de Alcántara.

We hope these new proposals meet your expectations. Of course, my staff and I will be kindly open to any suggestion you would like to raise contributing Marbella to become the place you want to live in.

Best regards,
José Luis Hernández
Tourism and Foreigners Delegate

Jan Lockett is newly arrived from UK where she worked for many years as a colour analyst and image consultant with House of Colour.  TV makeover programmes show us that with the right knowledge, dramatic changes can be made in a person’s appearance.  Style and cut of the garments make a huge difference, but first and foremost colour plays a very important part – and wearing the right colours in clothes and make up can take years off you.  Yes, you really can look 10 years younger!

Everyone has a unique skin tone and eye colour which means some colours make you look great, whilst others have completely the opposite effect.  Your own unique body shape means some styles work, whilst others don’t and a personality which means some clothes ‘are you’, others are simply wrong.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have the confidence in knowing that whenever you step out the door you are looking your very best, whatever the occasion?  Jan’s job is all about putting people in flattering clothes – individual colours and shapes for a unique result.

Do you have a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear? Do you stress that you have an important special occasion coming up, and haven’t a clue what to wear?  It might be time for an overhaul of the wardrobe and a re-think as to what really suits you.

Special Sale of 2008 Spring Collection being held on Wednesday 19th March at Magna Café, Nueva Andalucia, from 12 noon to 7pm

Michelle Chaplow is an award winning travel photographer. She is British by birth but has lived and worked in Andalucia in Southern Spain for the last fifteen years as a freelance photographer, specialising in travel and tourism. Having studied photography at Seville University, Michelle’s work has appeared in magazines, books and newspapers all over Europe, Australia, the United States of America and even China. Her specialist image collection is dedicated to Spain. Stephen St John, photo editor of National Geographic Magazine, described her work as, “beautifully illustrative, well composed and extremely colourful”, portraying the very essence of the Spain she so loves. On this Michelle not only provides the reader with a showcase of her imagery, she also shares personal recommendations for her favourite hotels around the world

Michelle Chaplow is the Co- founder and Director of the website www.andalucia.com