The previous government burdened local councils with debts amounting to €22 million – a sum that could have been used to re-surface 440 roads, Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo said last night, calling it outrageous.

He told Parliament the government believed in sustainable local councils which were efficient, effective and close to the community and during the past year, it had managed to reduce that debt by €1 million.

It had also introduced very important measures, including extending the right to vote to 16-year-olds and proposing to increase the term of the legislature to five years. The latter step would ensure that local councils would have enough time to implement their electoral manifesto and be in a better position to apply for and use EU funds.

The Local Councils (Amendment) Bill would also regulate the honoraria of mayors who would now have the option of paying their NI contribution based on their honoraria.

It was true that the previous government had given birth to the councils. However, rather than nurturing them it had ignored them and financially ruined them, said Mr Buontempo. During the previous legislature, a number of projects by local councils had been initiated but had to be stopped due to insufficient funds.

The government would also shortly be implementing the reform of local wardens which would introduce an educational element to the system.

Government whip Godfrey Farrugia said that the devolution of power to the local councils instilled in them a strong sense of governance and democratisation.

This was a positive element when considering that the attitude within Parliament was more akin to “a gladiatorial arena” than a seeding ground for democracy.

He appealed to certain local councils to renew their attitude, favouring democratic dialogue rather than partisan dissent, which did nothing for the common good.

He said that business plans should be properly drawn up and audited, as well as assiduously monitored by the department for local councils. The proposed legislation showed that government was in favour of retaining the local councils and the proposed five-year term favoured having a better business plan.

This would make for better governance, and it would tip the balance in favour of these proposals, even if this meant that younger electors would not be able to vote.

As a former mayor, Dr Farrugia said, the quality of life in any locality was dependent on the collegiality of the decisions taken.

Interference by politicians, party sectional committees and band clubs needed to stop if the people were to be truly well served.