The Local Councils Association is proposing that when outside development zone applications are considered by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa), the respective local councils should sit on the Mepa board with the right to vote.

This is one of a series of proposals the association is making for local councils reform.

Another development proposal is that when changes required only a development notification order, they should be approved by councils with the applicant retaining the right to appeal to Mepa.

A good number of the association’s proposals deal with funding. Association president Michael Cohen told a news conference this morning that the government could give councils funds for projects it intended to carry out in localities for the councils to carry out the projects themselves.

If councils managed to do the work at a lower cost, they would be entitled to the difference to spend on similar projects.

Mr Cohen stressed the importance that local councils continued to evolve but said they needed more resources.

He called for more funds to be given to councils saying that at the moment they got less than three per cent of the central government’s expenditure.

Another proposal is for the setting up of a special fund for councils which would be administered by a committee set up between the association and the government.

The association is asking the government to set up a €1 million fund to co-finance projects carried out by councils or the association with EU funds.

Other proposals are for council elections to be held every four years, for the mayor’s role to become a full time post and for councillors to be given an allowance to cover the expenses they incurred while carrying out their duties.

The proposals will be debated in a meeting for councillors being held in the beginning of September.