The government has slashed the Fgura local council’s budget by €49,439 after it failed to issue a call for tenders for the resurfacing of two roads last year.

At the time, the council was led by former mayor Darren Marmarà and the established procedures for the works were not followed, mayor Byron Camilleri said. The works were carried out by direct order.

The council found out about the cut on Wednesday through a letter from the Local Government Department, which informed it that a call for tenders should have been issued for the works.

Mr Camilleri said the council’s executive secretary had first brought the issue to the attention of the department and the councillors on January 8. The secretary carried out his duty “in an exemplary manner” and passed the relative documents to the department on March 23, one day after the issue had been discussed in a council meeting, Mr Camilleri added.

Mr Camilleri, a Labour council member, took over as Fgura mayor in August when Mr Marmarà resigned on July 16 after falling out with councillors of his own party. Mr Marmarà stepped down shortly before facing a motion of no confidence moved by his fellow Labour councillors who complained of “lack of serenity” within the council.

Mr Camilleri yesterday promised Fgura residents he and his council would strive to give the best possible service and ensure it always acted according to law.

The Labour Party said the department’s decision to cut the council’s budget vindicated its own decisions in the past months and its insistence that serenity needed to be re-established within the council.

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