Possible irregularities in how public funds have been used to send a youth delegation to the Cypriot holiday destination Ayia Napa are being investigated by the Local Government Board.

Mayor Anne Fenech has refused to give details of the ‘holiday’.

Nationalist mayor Anne Fenech has once again refused to give any details on how her council decided to use public funds to send a group of youths to Ayia Napa and to state what was the aim behind the trip.

Confirming that the department has received reports in writing on allegations of abuse, a spokesman for the Department of Local Councils said that “these were forwarded to the Local Governance Board Governance Board to be investigated”.

The mayor did not reply to questions on how many youths had been selected to form part of the delegation, how they were selected and how much the trip had cost the taxpayers.

“The replies to your questions will be sent once a report is approved by the council,” was Ms Fenech’s only reply.

The mayor and an independent councillor accompanied the ‘delegation’ to Cyprus.

Last week, this newspaper reported that a mission to Cyprus, sponsored through public funds by the St Paul’s Bay local council, had raised eyebrows at the Department of Local Councils over the way it was carried out and the destination chosen.

The replies to your questions will be sent once a report is approved by the council

Ayia Napa, a seaside resort is known mostly for its extravagant nightlife and considered a party destination.

The visit was approved by the local council only a few weeks ago, shortly after the setting up of a youths sub-committee of the same council.

During the same meeting, which approved the setting up of the sub-committee, one of the councillors had asked for the approval of the trip to Cyprus as part of the work carried out by the sub-committee.

Questioned by councillors during the same meeting for a programme of the planned visit and on how the participating youths were selected, no information was given.

Still, the majority of councillors, including the mayor, ap-proved the budget for the trip, running into thousands.

In social media posts before their departure from Malta, relatives of the participating youths wished them “a nice holiday”.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com