Gżira local councillors last week agreed to seek to reinstate Manoel Island into its jurisdiction, the council announced in a statement. 

The motion, which was proposed by mayor Conrad Borg Manche' and seconded by deputy mayor Ralph Mangion, was passed unanimously during an executive meeting held last Thursday, the council said. The motion is now with minister Owen Bonnici and the director of the local government department. 

Unlike Tigne', which is part of the Sliema local council's remit, Manoel Island is not part of the Gżira local council's jurisdiction, despite it being situated just 28 metres off the town's shore. 

The council is currently locked in a battle with developers' consortium Midi over access to the island's foreshore. A clean-up of the area originally meant to take place last Saturday was cancelled, with activists finding several police officers guarding locked gates. 

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