A new civic centre incorporating a day-care centre, a clinic, the local tribunal and local council offices, a board room, a large hall, underground parking and other community facilities is to be built in Fgura, the council said.

It said in a statement new offices were needed in Fgura as the residents’ needs could not be served well from the current ones.

The project, it said, would emphasise accessibility for people with special needs and the elderly as its current offices were on the second floor and only accessible by stairs.

The council noted that contrary to other councils, it was constrained to buy the land at a commercial rate as there was no public land available in Fgura. It bought the land for Lm190,000 (€442,581.75) in 2003.

In that same year, the council had sought and obtained the permission of the central government to embark on the construction of the project, based on its income projects of the following years.

As in recent months it was informed that its income was to be reduced as that from the local enforcement system would go for the region rather than the council, the Fgura council requested the central government to help by funding 20 per cent of the project.

The council’s request was declined. However, the council decided to go ahead with the project and finance it completely.