One of the precepts of local government is that councils and other local entities are autonomous of the country’s central administration, that is, government. This is one of the pillars on which the whole system of local government is founded, the other being subsidiarity, which means that decisions which affect people most should be taken by that organ of the State which is nearest to those who will be affected.

However, autonomy should never be construed as meaning that councils can do away with equally important precepts such as good governance or accountability. A virtuous local council is one which is endowed with both entrepreneurship and an eagerness to keep its finances in a healthy state. A council which carries out numerous activities and in the process accumulates tons of debts is as undesirable as a council which is dormant but sits on a sizeable bank account.

In both cases, I cannot but underline the importance of sticking to financial and administrative laws and regulations in any endeavour we should elect to carry out.

This is the fundamental message which I would like to permeate across all entities comprising local government, which are regional committees, local councils and administrative committees; a message which I believe should be pushed more strongly in the wake of the Report by the Auditor General on the Workings of Local Government for the year 2014.

I made my views clear on this on the first available occasion when I met the executive secretaries of regional committees, local councils and administrative committees.

I reminded them of their role as the executive, financial and administrative heads of local councils; which means that effectively by law, they are entrusted with powers to make sure that councils do not run into financial or administrative irregularities.

The importance of this issue was further underlined in a memo issued to all regional committees, local councils and administrative committees.

My intervention was politically spun as an attempt to wash my hands of the responsibility as Parliamentary Secretary, by those who preach the tenants of good governance. They seem to fail to grasp the elementary concept that good governance is important across all levels of government, and not according to that department or ministry which suits best their partisan tirades. Seems that, after all, what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander if Labour is involved.

This government has time and time again shown it is committed to govern in a transparent and accountable way

These same people time and time again tend to forget that during their tenure, the financial well-being of local councils was seriously undermined as councils were encouraged to overspend like there was no tomorrow, through a number of schemes, nay scams, that has riddled councils with debts to this very day. Such scams included the famous roadworks and public-private partnerships.

This government is amply showing that it is taking another course. It is encouraging virtuous councils while declaring war against misconduct or negligence.

This government observes the rule of law. Therefore, it refers such misconduct or negligence through the proper channels. In this case, we refer such incidents to the Local Governance Board.

Make no mistake; my only intention was to remind executive secretaries of their crucial role as watchdogs of the system. They are the foundations of the system of checks and balances that guarantees the proper running of councils. After all, they are public officers and our wish is that councils are run with irreprehensible behaviour which befits the best tradition of our civil service.

Unfortunately, as usual, the wheat was not separated from the chaff, and the impression was given that the whole of our corps of executive secretaries is incompetent or careless, whereas the vast majority of secretaries are exemplary professionals.

Government firmly believes in the abilities of executive secretaries, so it has put its money where its mouth is and invested in the first-ever professional formation course aimed at executive secretaries. This course, recognised locally and internationally as a diploma course,, was aimed at improving accountability and good governance in the councils as well as more efficient public procurement and better management of public funds.

The course was part of a €110,000 EU-funded project through which the Department for Local Government was accredited as an Institute for Local Government which will be preparing courses for councillors and local council staff in order to increase the level of the services offered to the public.

Notwithstanding the criticism levelled at the government, most of which is politically motivated, one thing is for sure: this government has time and time again shown it is committed to govern in a transparent and accountable way, and this is the way local government is envisaged to function.

Stefan Buontempo is Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government.