MPs argue over commitment to local government

The Opposition spokesman for local government, Chris Cardona, said yesterday that the government had reduced funding for local government in real terms in the budget for next year.

But Nationalist MP Mario de Marco replied that the councils only ever saw a cut in their budget under Labour and this government was raising its assistance to the councils both directly and indirectly.

Dr Cardona said during the budget debate that although the budget figures showed a slight increase, that was dwarfed by the increased outlay the councils had to meet, owing to new responsibilities and rising costs.

The Local Councils Department too was underfunded and understaffed, notably the EU desk which was so important to alert the councils to the many EU funds they could tap into. It was already well known that Maltese councils were not maximising the potential that existed here.

Dr Cardona called for stability in the employment of executive secretaries, currently engaged on fixed contracts at the mercy of the councils. He called for talks with the secretaries' association on how the issue could be solved - such as through rotation among the various councils or having the secretaries become part of the public service.

The Labour MP said the fact that a police inspector had been allocated to each council was very positive and was giving good results in several localities. This model of coordination should be adopted by the agencies involved in social work which came into contact with the councils. And if funding for the councils was to remain unchanged, then at least the resources of the agencies which worked with the councils should be improved.

Dr Cardona said the new leadership of the Local Councils Association had found huge administrative confusion, but he was confident that the role of the association would be strengthened, locally and overseas.

Concluding, Dr Cardona spoke on the MLP's policy on local councils saying that the wardens system would be reviewed because its purpose should not be revenue collection. One could consider introducing systems where points were deducted before people were fined, and people fined unfairly should be compensated. A Labour government would conduct a value for money audit of the councils and allocate more resources and responsibilities to them, he said.

Mario de Marco (PN) said it was this government that created local councils and was continuing to give them the tools to exercise the principle of subsidiarity. The government had gradually transferred new responsibilities to the councils as they achieved wider public acceptance, which culminated in the introduction of local government in the constitution. It was only under a Labour government that funds for the councils were ever reduced.

The councils' budget for 2007 was being raised by Lm20,000 to Lm10.27 million. But the councils were also receiving substantial help through the allocation of 218 public sector workers to them at a cost to the government of Lm1.2 million. Three workers were also allocated to the Local Councils' Association.

Thanks to the government's EU policy, the local councils were also receiving Lm1.8 million from the EU so that in total, the councils were receiving almost Lm13 million in direct and indirect aid.

That was also supplemented by assistance by the various ministries such as the Infrastructure Ministry and the Ministry for Gozo.

Dr de Marco said the government was constantly heeding complaints by the people on local government, including the wardens. As a result the Petitions Board had been set up to enable the people to contest bookings by wardens. So far some 3,300 petitions had been made and 2,000 were decided, of which 58 per cent were decided in favour of the petitioners.

The Local Enforcement Service had also set up a disciplinary board to consider complaints against wardens who were not correct in the enforcement of the law.

As a result of complaints over the way some speed cameras had been installed, new regulations had been introduced and the installation of such cameras had to follow the approval of the Local Enforcement Service. Other legislative changes over the past year included the direct election of mayors, the appointment of plain clothes environment wardens, new procedures on the presentation of evidence before the tribunals, a code of ethics, the accountability of councillors and the composition of the Local Councils Association.

At the same time the government was continuing to transfer properties to the councils for better administration, one of them being the old customs verandah at Pieta.

Surveillance of the financial administration of the councils had been improved and now only four councils were running a deficit.

Dr de Marco underlined the importance of participation by the councils in EU programmes and said government assistance for this purpose should continue.