Happy enough at Christmas drinks last year, but there are clear tensions between Noguera (left) and Hila. | Miquel A. Cañellas

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Mayor José Hila has stamped his authority over Antoni Noguera, who will succeed him as mayor, by saying that holiday rentals will not be banned throughout the city and will be zoned. He has added that it will be he who takes charge of the zoning, as he will swap posts with Noguera and be responsible for urban planning and the model of the city.

Hila was making it clear yesterday that until he hands over to Noguera, he is the one who leads the town hall. Accepting that Noguera said that the proposal for prohibition was one being made by the urban planning department and to be forwarded to the town hall's governing board, Hila stressed that as mayor he has to consider all angles. The conciliatory approach will be that there is no ban throughout the city. In addition, he argued that European legislation does not permit such a generalised approach. If there were a total ban, then the matter would be taken to court and be overturned.

Hila was surprised by Noguera's announcement, which was made when he was not in Majorca. "It was unexpected." He went on to say that points made by the town hall to the tourism ministry about holiday rentals' legislation had been agreed; these did not include a ban.

Regarding zoning of rentals, Hila explained that parts of the city differ. Limits are needed in some areas, especially in the centre, but not everywhere. He wondered if Noguera had misunderstood what had been agreed. The mayor concluded by saying that political parties should work as a team and not on their own.