Three villages are expected to have a full complement of surfaced roads by the end of the year thanks to a pilot project launched by Local Government Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said.

Dr Said explained that €1.5 million were being allocated for works in 58 streets as follows: 10 in Kirkop, 22 in Madliena (through the Swieqi council) and 26 in Mqabba.

"These councils were quite ahead in their work and this pilot project is intended to help them complete resurfacing works so they could have all the streets in their locality in good shape," he said yesterday.

This was one of three schemes aimed at improving residential streets across the islands.

Residential streets fall under the responsibility of local councils and are resurfaced with funds allocated by the government.

In previous years, Dr Said noted, councils used to be given an amount of money, which they then could use for whatever purpose they wanted, including road works. Last year, however, all this changed, and a scheme was introduced whereby councils were given €4.8 million that could only be spent on road works, with more than 160 streets being completed.

This year, under the same scheme, the government was giving councils €5.2 million towards the same purpose, with an estimated 170 streets in Malta and Gozo expected to be done using the money, Dr Said announced.

Another scheme enables councils to enter public-private partnerships with contractors where road works are concerned, with contractors being given maintenance agreements rather than just building the road.