Our renewed local councils

It is very refreshing when the time finally comes to do away with the word reform. In the case of local councils, this much-hackneyed word was bandied about for months on end as Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said and his team at the Office of the Prime Minister laboured to ensure that this nation-wide dialogue reached and even surpassed the citizens' expectations. There is no sweeter sense of satisfaction than when one approaches closure on a subject and, after months of endless meetings and consultations, the parliamentary secretary was finally able to present his proposals to Cabinet for approval. It was truly an unenviable task!

This was a task entrusted to a very able politician with a rich experience in council proceedings. His biggest concern was possibly how to extrapolate each and every suggestion and propose changes keeping in mind the needs and expectations of residents in all localities. But, to his credit, he has succeeded in doing a splendid job and the result is a shake-up of the present or, should I say, past local council system that is intended to ensure, first and foremost, that the resident is kept at the centre of all decision-making, beyond all rhetoric and political capital!

The proposed changes aim to improve local governance, ensuring efficiency, accountability and transparency. They are changes that will address specific issues and will empower true local governance. As a citizen and a councillor I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. Fifteen years down the line, councils knew where their strengths and weaknesses lay. Likewise, residents have formed their own very strong opinions on the performance of their elected representatives. Council members are elected democratically to serve the good of the locality and each and every new proposal has been considered with this in mind.

Councils must deliver; citizens can no longer suffer because of a particular council's lack of interest, inefficiency or worse. These changes to legislation will ensure that citizens' rights are respected and redress is now a possibility. A set of rules has now been proposed, setting clear and unequivocal parameters. It is paramount to legislate, employ and, finally, enforce these proposals. We must have the courage to implement these changes without fear or favour. This is easier said than done!

Going down the list of changes one is immediately struck by the emphasis on true accountability, efficient work practice and observation of a code of ethics. The message is clear: work professionally, work for the locality and you will be rewarded. If, on the other hand, a council defaults, it will face budget cuts, investigations and disciplinary action. The government is committed to ensuring that local councils serve the locality in the best possible manner. Decentralisation of power has always been this government's objective and this further empowerment of councils will help them meet the challenges of increased responsibilities.

The public dialogue on the reform of local councils was a tremendous success as citizens, councils, associations and political parties all heaped praise on the tireless work of Dr Said. His very dedication and commitment instilled in us all the confidence that results would be delivered... and soon. And here we are admiring our own work.

To all those who participated in this public dialogue either by e-mail, telephones or meetings I say well done and to have a look at the proposed changes (opm.gov.mt) to see if and how their suggestions were taken on board.

It really was a huge undertaking and this all in the first year of the legislature. I congratulate Dr Said for his work, his dedication and for injecting a new lease of life into local councils.

Now is the time to re-invent a vision that so many had opposed 15 years ago. The past year has proved that, with a measured bi-partisan approach, a consensus is possible. This is an ambitious project; a true process of devolution and decentralisation. The concept of local councils is still to bear its ultimate fruit. Direction and clearly identifiable goals are the basic principles of this exercise. If we can come together, then many of our gripes, frustrations and discomforts can be resolved. The stage is set for a real and profound change. The ball is now in our court. Let us make the most of it!

info@carolinegalea.com