Ombudsman calls for review of council secretary role

Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino has called for an evaluation of the role and functions of executive secretaries as "administrative kingpins" between local councils and the central government.

He invited the ministry responsible for local government and those involved in the administration of local councils to take note of his considerations regarding the legal aspect of the post of executive secretary, and to conduct a proper evaluation of the need to have this post set up in a manner that would ensure the continuity that is essential for good governance.

The Ombudsman was expressing his views in a letter to Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information in the Office of the Prime Minister, in connection with the public consultation process now under way to update legislation governing local councils.

The Ombudsman referred to his recommendations in a Final Opinion dated July 26, 2006, on a complaint that dealt with the office of executive secretary in local councils.

He pointed out that in his view continuity would allow this post a measure of autonomy that is necessary if executive secretaries are to be effective as executive, administrative and financial heads of local councils.

Executive secretaries have the duty to execute the policies and directives of the local councils where they serve but also have the duty to safeguard the interests of the community which the local councils are bound to serve in order to ensure a transparent, just and effective administration according to law.

He showed his appreciation of the initiative to overhaul the legal framework covering local councils for an efficient and transparent administration at local level, saying the overhaul was long overdue.

A digest of the case covered by this Final Report appears on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman (www.ombudsman.org.mt) in the page captioned From the Ombudsman's Caseload as Case 4 under the heading On Rumblings In Local Councils: The Role Of Executive Secretaries.