Friday, 23rd May 2008 - 19:12CET

PM indicates areas of local councils reform

The Prime Minister this evening launched a process of consultation ahead of reform of local government - 15 years after the first local councils were set up.

He told a meeting for mayors and councillors at Castille that the government wanted to see greater coordination between the central administration and the councils so as to improve living standards and ensure sustainable development.

It was also important that the councils were accountable and transparent, that they were efficient, and they yielded value for money.

It needed to be ascertained that the practices followed for the allocation of funds to the councils produced the best results.

Dr Gonzi said the consultation should consider how councils could contribute towards an improvement of the environment and the tourism product. Also up for discussion were cleanliness, public order and discipline, which extended beyond traffic discipline.

He said the reform should also include easier access to access EU funds by the councils, and ways how the councils could work closer together on a regional basis.

The consultation process is to be headed by Dr Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Consultation within the Office of the Prime Minister, and himself a former mayor.

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Comments

Albert Gauci Cunningham (on 23/5/08)

Doesnt' the PM think that the St.Paul's bay Local council which hosts thousands of tourists on a yearly basis (35% of our tourists to be precise) is ridiculously overstretched?? This locality has St.Paul's bay, Bugibba, Qawra, Burmarrad, Xemxija and Wardija all under one "umbrella"............no wonder than certain areas have never been "touched" by the council!! I'd like to propose areas close to Hotels such as Triq ir-Ramel and the whereabouts ( next to the STA Marija/ San Anton/San Pawl and Karanne hotels) to fall under central govt. responsability!! It is really ridiculous to have streets around hotel areas in disgraceful states!! And by the way thanks to lack of resources our second "tourist mecca" in Malta is one of the dirtiest (prob the dirtiest) localities.............Bugibba is crying for help and restructuring the Local Council could go a long way in solving the problems not just of the locality but also of our tourist product!!!!!

JOS. AGIUS (on 23/5/08)

High time Mr. Prime Minister, that you emphasis on discipline. This should start from the employees engaged with local councils. How can we tolerate employees leaving the place of work at ten, and when asked, they say the Mayor sent them off. ? Is it not us, taxpayers who pay for their salary, and yet they do not give a days work? Would it not pay dividends if they work as normal workers, giving a days work instead of farming out to contractors odd jobs these same workers, seconded from the Govt. or IPSL, can perform? Why does inspectors not call at Council Offices and spot check where the workers are? Why do Council Offices close at random? For how long, Mr Prime Minister, or Parl. Sec, are you to tolerate certain councils which do not offer the basic services to their residents when areas devolved by central govt should and MUST be serviced from every Council? Who has the last say, the Secretary or the Mayor? Certain conflicts arise because the Sec. has no political interest, whereas the Mayor is at times tempted to abuse and act politically or to look 'nice' with certain sectors of the Community,

R. Schembri (on 23/5/08)

As long as our local councils continue to be managed by political acolytes and yes men without giving any space to serious apolitical individuals who have better credentials and who can do a much better job, they will remain a national joke. It was the Nationalists who introduced the politically-tainted local councils. Now let's see if Dr Gonzi can do something tangible in the national interest and introduce changes to make local councils managed by competent persons whose first priority would be the good of their locality rather than that of their party.

Byron Camilleri (on 23/5/08)

I think that mayors should be given the opportunity to be full-time employed with the council.

PM indicates areas of local councils reform

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