The Żebbuġ local council has lashed out at the government for ignoring its repeated requests to help stop flooding in some areas, build bus shelters and resurface the village's main road.

Mayor Brian Bonnici produced a stack of unanswered letters, sent by the council to various government departments, requesting assistance on the three issues since 2006.

He explained that Vjal il-Ħelsien, the main road that led to the village core, was in dire need of resurfacing. The avenue was damaged during the construction of new roads under the fifth Italian protocol because it was frequently used by trucks, Mr Bonnici said. In 2007, the government said it would be resurfaced by the end of 2008. However, he said, it was still in a bad state.

In 2007, the Water Services Corporation started laying new water pipes. However, the project was never concluded and the pipes were connected temporarily and remained on the surface of the road.

Mr Bonnici noted that, every winter, residents of Vassalli, Ħali, Lunzjata and Luigi Fontana streets complained about the flooding.

The council commissioned a report that showed that the only solution was the installation of water culverts. The local council applied for government funds to build the culverts but did not obtain any so far. The Department of Local Councils informed the Żebbuġ council it did not have the authority to do the work.

Mr Bonnici said that when the Italian protocol road was built outside Żebbuġ several bus stops had been dismantled. While some were re-installed, others were not: two shelters in Siġġiewi Road and one in Mdina Road. These roads fell under the responsibility of the Transport Authority and the council was told that, if it installed its own shelters, they would be dismantled.

Mr Bonnici said that Labour and Nationalist councillors had reached a common agreement that the three long-pending issues had to be tackled.

He said that several petitions, signed by residents, had been sent to the authorities but fell on deaf ears.