Vittoria council report draws criticism from consigliere Pelligra: 'The picture described does not match daily reality'
Summary of the session
During a recent meeting of the Vittoria municipal council, Forza Italia councillor Biagio Pelligra delivered a pointed assessment of Mayor Francesco Aiello's annual report. While acknowledging that this year’s document appeared more structured and less overtly promotional than previous iterations, Pelligra argued that the administration’s account does not reflect the daily reality experienced by many residents. He said the report might appear flawless to an external reader but reveals a disconnect for those who live and work in Vittoria.
Financial management acknowledged, wider performance questioned
Pelligra praised the municipal accounting office for maintaining financial equilibrium, recognising the technical work behind budgetary stability. At the same time, he criticised how multiple service areas have been managed, suggesting that balanced accounts alone cannot mask shortcomings in the provision of basic services and in the implementation of key projects.
Environment and illegal dumping
On environmental issues, the councillor commended the administration’s intervention in the Casmenae Petra case as significant. However, he warned of an ongoing proliferation of illegal waste dumps in peripheral neighbourhoods and the countryside, which he attributed to a lack of territorial control. Pelligra said he has repeatedly urged tougher measures, including the seizure of vehicles used for illicit dumping, a remedy he believes has been applied only sporadically.
Fumaroles and prevention timing
Pelligra also criticised the timing of the protocol signed with Civil Protection on fumarole prevention. He argued that preventive activities should have been initiated months earlier, given that fires and related problems tend to emerge as early as June and July. The councillor suggested that delayed prevention planning undermines the effectiveness of civil protection efforts.
Water crisis and service provision
The water emergency was described by Pelligra as among the most serious challenges facing Vittoria. He contested the decision to purchase a municipal tanker truck that cannot be used within the urban perimeter and questioned the continued reliance on private contractors to supply water at a significant cost. Those expenditures, he argued, could have been invested in acquiring functional municipal equipment. He also expressed doubts about the council’s capacity to secure PNRR funds for structural interventions, notably for the ageing water network.
Urban planning, the ex-mattatoio and local transport
On urban planning and regeneration, Pelligra drew attention to IV Aprile, the site of a past tragedy that he said has not received decisive safety interventions. He highlighted the delayed opening of the former slaughterhouse complex — a multifunctional facility completed over a year and a half ago but still closed pending a few thousand euros in finishing works. Public transport problems were also flagged: the municipality was left without service for weeks when its only bus was sidelined by a breakdown. Pelligra urged progress on the planned renewal of the bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles.
Scoglitti and broader governance concerns
Turning to the coastal locality of Scoglitti, the councillor acknowledged planned works on the square and seafront but warned that the absence of essential services — parking, adequate urban links and summer programming — risks turning those investments into “cathedrals in the desert. ” In his concluding remarks Pelligra said that after four and a half years of administration, citizens expected not only flagship infrastructure but effective day-to-day governance: road maintenance, reliable water supply and urban decorum.
Outlook
The remarks delivered in council underscore tensions between municipal messaging and opposition scrutiny. Pelligra’s intervention concentrated on operational failures and delayed projects, while acknowledging technical accomplishments in finance and selected interventions. The debate is likely to continue as councillors and the administration weigh next steps on prevention, services and the completion of stalled public works.
