Introduction

Some individuals have been actively participating in local elections for many years, while others are contemplating their first run in the upcoming May 2024 local elections in our country. Even those who have extensive experience in local government may need to reassess their methods and consider a change in their approach. Newcomers to this field are beginning to realize the various aspects they need to work upon to become effective councillors.

In addition, major political parties often prioritize quantity over quality, placing a strong emphasis on an individual’s capacity to gather votes. Especially during their initial stages, individuals may encounter challenges as they establish themselves.

Furthermore, the absence of sufficient candidate training necessitates that those aspiring to run successful election campaigns must begin their preparations from scratch. Therefore, selecting the right approach is pivotal for a strong beginning.

The Role of a Councillor

An elected councillor has numerous responsibilities to bear in mind if they genuinely aim to make a positive impact, both in their local community and in the lives of the residents they represent. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Leading and formulating strategies and plans for their community, ensuring a balance between the diverse needs of residents and the locality, while identifying the priorities that the Local Council should address.
• Guaranteeing democratic responsibility for the public services rendered and holding service providers to the Council answerable to ensure the most effective use of the compensation they receive.
• Engaging with key stakeholders to unite everyone in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
• Overseeing the affairs of the Local Council, particularly by ensuring thorough scrutiny of its work, plans, decisions, efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Collaborating with colleagues to facilitate resident participation, involving local businesses and other stakeholders in decision-making processes to enhance civic engagement within the community.
• Working with colleagues to maintain an environment in which the community can thrive and enjoy the best possible quality of life.

It’s crucial to bear in mind that when councillors operate with transparency, responsibility, inclusiveness, and effectiveness, they frequently earn recognition and gratitude from residents when the time comes for them to elect their representatives.

Understanding What Needs to Be Done

As previously mentioned, a councillor, as a democratically elected representative, has a duty to act as a catalyst for uniting everyone and guiding them in the same direction. To achieve this, they must first integrate seamlessly into the councillor group, regardless of their background or political affiliation. With this purpose in mind, a councillor can serve as the link connecting residents to the Local Council, fostering synergy between the desires, expectations, and actions of the Local Council and the community.

Irrespective of any training candidate may have received during an electoral campaign, it’s important to note that being elected as a councillor doesn’t automatically make one an expert in all matters. Moreover, following their election, it becomes imperative that elected councillors  actively participate in all organized training sessions to enhance their skills the attitude they need to embrace, and to augment their knowledge on how to take well-informed decisions. Equally important is the effective participation in council meetings and other activities organized by the council, the engagement in public discussions and consultation sessions, and their accessibility so that residents would know how and where to contact them.

Mario Fava
President

Much like individuals in the workforce, Mayors commence their day by rising early and prepare for their full-time duties. The backgrounds and professions they come from can vary widely, covering fields such as education, public service, legal practice, factory employment, transportation, medical practice, and even retirement.

Similar to other employees, they encounter a series of challenges and problems throughout the day, and, like any other worker, they must address these issues. For those who are self-employed, there’s the added responsibility of ensuring they earn their daily income since a Mayor has no fixed monthly salary.

However, there’s a notable difference: when the workday ends and others are heading home to their families, the Mayor might not always make it home at that time. This is because they have to visit the Council office to handle the issues and matters that would have arisen during the day. During these visits, they meet with the residents and discuss the work and priorities for the upcoming days, sometimes involving the Executive Secretary should the latter would be still in office. One must emphasize that this is not a critical comment towards Executive Secretaries but rather because the Mayor’s visit coincides with the end of the Council employees’ workday.

Moreover, during the day, especially for those working in the private sector, the mayor may need to take some hours of leave to attend meetings with government officials, organizations, or other government agencies. They may also need to meet with the Council’s architect regarding a local project, provided there are no court sessions due to legal cases against the Local Council.

By May or June, numerous Mayors and Councillors, especially those employed in the private sector, may have already exhausted their vacation leave due to Council-related responsibilities. This underscores the need for workplace flexibility and family-friendly policies.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t conclude at this point. In contrast to Parliamentary Secretaries or Ministries, Mayors lack support staff like a chief of staff official, secretariat staff, public relations officer, or a personal assistant. This implies that if they wish to issue a statement or a press call or draft speeches for specific events, they must manage these tasks themselves, most often after their usual working hours. Should they need to seek third party advice or consultancy services they would need to fork payment for these sought services out of their own pockets

One must keep in mind that regardless of challenges and difficulties, what happens in the locality always falls under the Mayor’s responsibility!

I emphasize this because this is the reality faced by every Mayor or Regional President. This is the life one must lead to provide effective service in the community. I stress this not to criticize but to highlight that not every Mayor follows this path, and not every Mayor dedicates the necessary time and effort to their Council.

It is important that, after 30 years of Local Government in our country, this democratic and constitutional position is to be seriously considered. It is necessary and imperative that we have full-time mayors because their responsibilities, including legal ones, are greater than those of backbenchers (and I say this with full respect for the latter). Backbenchers do know what being a mayor means, as many of them have been in this position as well.

Now, more than ever, it is crucial for every Mayor or Regional President to fully embrace these responsibilities. If they ever fail in their administrative duties, or, even worse, in managing finances, they must be held completely accountable for their actions.

Elected officials, including Mayors, Councillors, and Regional Presidents, must fully grasp the weight of their responsibilities, which involve serving the entire community without showing favouring specific residents or employees. In the context of mayoral and regional presidential elections, it is imperative to establish well-defined criteria for candidates, taking into account their relevant past experiences, to guarantee the promotion of transparency and the adherence to principles of good governance.

There is a need for reform in the electoral process, which involves holding distinct elections for the positions of Mayor and Councillors during the same electoral event. Political parties should be required to announce their candidates for both Mayor and Councillors well in advance, resulting in the issuance of two separate ballot papers—one for the election of the Mayor and the other for selecting potential Councillors. This approach would offer greater transparency and provide candidates with a clear understanding of the roles they would undertake if elected. These are the crucial discussions we must engage in during the upcoming election season.

Mario Fava
President

A Councilor plays a crucial role in local governance, ensuring that local democracy functions effectively and garners the trust of residents. Councilors act as a vital link connecting residents, the Council, and the Central Government. Effective local leadership is the backbone of the Local Government, underscoring the need to empower Local Councils with a more central role in national decision-making.

The Councillor’s work is a cornerstone of this effort. Adopting a “bottom-up” approach is essential to engage residents in critical thinking, understanding, and decision-making in response to the challenges they face. Councillors should wholeheartedly embrace this role, gaining a deeper understanding of the local demographics and the primary challenges residents encounter; this enables them to advocate for equality and inclusion, representing the entire spectrum of society within the community, including those who are often marginalized, such as children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and individuals from diverse backgrounds in terms of beliefs, races, or those facing social issues.

Councillors play a pivotal role in ensuring that the results of their work shape the residents’ perspectives and the latter are to be taken into account before any Council decision. It’s essential to communicate the outcomes of these decisions through various media channels to keep residents informed. Residents not only have the right to be consulted and participate in decisions but also to be fully informed about each and every decision. Councillors are expected to listen, prioritize, and, above all, understand the unique needs of each individual they represent.

To carry out these responsibilities effectively, Councillors must have an in-depth understanding of their locality and the community they serve. This involves the gathering of information about various aspects, including the diversity of nationalities, spoken languages, resident demographics, local employment, infrastructure, public transportation, cultural dynamics, healthcare facilities, and long-standing community projects. Evaluating the long-term viability of these projects and ensuring that residents are well-informed about them is equally essential.

Effectively representing a wide range of community groups is a complex task, considering the continuously changing social, political, and cultural landscape. Communities continually change, and Councillors must stay attuned to these shifts and emerging realities. Councillors frequently gain valuable insights about the community when individuals approach them with their concerns. Exploring the locality on foot, outside the confines of a car, can unveil important nuances and issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. These experiences underscore the importance of recognizing that multiple perspectives exist on every issue, and determining the best course of action is not always straightforward.

Mario Fava
President

The Local Councils’ Association launched the Guidelines on Walkability and Accessibility on November 02nd 2023. This is the third published guideline document, in a series of documents which are being published under the Resident First project headed by the Local Councils’ Association and endorsed by all Local Councils in Malta and Gozo.

The document is aimed at raising awareness of the importance of walking to deliver better urban environmental quality and liveability in our towns and villages. The guide seeks to establish why and when walking should take priority and how walkability is part of a broader accessibility and connectivity strategy. It frames this discussion within well-established urban design parameters such as the walking distance model to guide future decision-making.

Send us your thoughts, opinions, recommendations or comments. 

Climate change and environmental degradation pose imminent threats to Europe and the global community. In response, the European Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, with three primary objectives:

1. Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
2. Decoupling economic growth from resource consumption.
3. Ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.

The European Green Deal also plays a pivotal role in post-pandemic recovery, with nearly €1.8 trillion in investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan and the EU’s seven-year budget allocated to support this endeavor.

To address climate change and environmental concerns, the European Commission has introduced a series of legislative proposals aimed at aligning EU policies in climate, energy, transport, and taxation. These proposals target a reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Key Focus

Energy production and consumption contribute to over 75% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonizing the EU’s energy system is a critical step in achieving the climate goals for 2030 and the long-term objective of carbon neutrality by 2050.

The European Green Deal focuses on three fundamental principles for the transition to clean energy, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the quality of life for citizens:

1. Ensuring a secure and affordable energy supply in the EU.
2. Developing a fully integrated, interconnected, and digitalized EU energy market.
3. Prioritizing energy efficiency, enhancing building energy performance, and emphasizing renewable energy in the energy sector.

To realize these principles, the Commission has established key objectives, including:

• Establishing interconnected and integrated energy systems and grids to support renewable energy sources.
• Promoting innovative technologies and modern infrastructure.
• Improving energy efficiency and eco-design of products.
• Decarbonizing the gas sector and enhancing integration between sectors.
• Providing support to consumers and Member States to address energy poverty.
• Promoting EU energy standards and technologies on a global scale.
• Maximizing the potential of offshore wind energy.

As of May 2022, REPowerEU is a critical initiative for the EU, serving the following key purposes:

• Ensuring energy security.
• Generating clean energy.
• Diversifying the energy supply.

REPowerEU has played a crucial role in safeguarding EU citizens and businesses against energy shortages, supporting Ukraine by reducing reliance on Russian resources during the conflict, and accelerating the transition to clean energy. This collaborative effort continues to strengthen Europe’s preparedness and unity.

Through collective action, the EU has achieved significant milestones:

• Reduced dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
• Lowered energy consumption by nearly 20%.
• Implemented maximum gas prices and a global oil price cap.
• Doubled the use of renewable energy sources.
• Diversified energy supplies.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia underscored the need for alternative energy supply solutions within the EU. Although some Member States historically relied more on Russian gas imports than others, the potential disruptions affected all collectively. Hence, all Member States cooperated to ensure gas sharing in times of need.

As of September 2022, Russian gas accounts for only 8% of all gas imports via pipelines to the EU, compared to 41% in August 2021.

With the REPowerEU plan, the EU successfully diversified its energy supply by:

• Stabilizing agreements with other third countries for pipeline imports.
• Investing in joint procurement of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
• Establishing strategic partnerships with Namibia, Egypt, and Kazakhstan to secure a safe and sustainable supply of renewable hydrogen.
• Signing agreements with Egypt and Israel for natural gas exports to Europe.

The infrastructure initially used for gas can now be adapted for clean hydrogen in the future. Today’s investment is an investment in decarbonizing the economy for the future.

Mario Fava
President

The Local Councils’ Association launched the Guidelines on Parking Management for Local and Regional Councils on May 31st 2023. The document is one in a series of documents on Sustainable Mobility and includes other important subjects such as: walkability, accessibility, shared transport, last mile transportation, and EV changeover.

This document centers on understanding further the parking issue and proposing strategies, in the form of steps, that could lead to potential solutions in the short-medium-long term.

These strategies must be understood and considered together with other complementing steps found within the other Sustainable documents mentioned above.

Send us your thoughts, opinions, recommendations or comments. 

The Local Councils’ Association is publishing this document in order to provide information on the subject of Sutainable Mobility and the means that could be of assistance in achieving the goal of sustainability. This document focuses on the re-introduction of bus lanes as a method of increasing transit speed and reliability hence this would decrease the amount of private vehicles on the road and also traffic congestion. 

Send us your thoughts, opinions, recommendations or comments. 

Why should the resident consider a career within the Local Council?

The Local Council is the closest authority to the resident.  The primary role of any  Local Council is to create a positive experience in the life of its residents while assisting them and the community to develop in a  sustainable manner. This leads to a higher sense of belonging from the residents towards their locality.

Each resident could actively contribute towards this change in three particular ways:

• By contesting the local elections
• By applying to any of the vacancies within the Local Councils
• By participating in any voluntary work and other initiatives organised by the Local Council
• By participating in the various discussions and consultation processes which eventually could be part of the decisions taken by the Local Council

Today, I would like to focus why an individual should consider a career within one of our Local Councils.

Like in all other employments, most employees would look into the financial package of the job.  However, on the same level of importance is the level of personal satisfaction that same job would give to the individual – the take home feeling after a day’s work with your colleagues.

Local Councils offer the unique opportunity to satisfy these two important criteria. The fact that the role of the Local Council is there to help you accomplish the above mentioned also leads to the fact that it offers the opportunity for direct contact with other residents who most of the time approach the Local Councils for help and assistance.

Working with the Local Council  offers an opportunity to meet with different people with different challenges – something that makes daily work less monotonous and more challenging.  This type of employment gives you the opportunity to be in touch with that senior citizen who needs assistance when completing an application, the opportunity to meet that person with special needs who needs assistance for a reserved parking, the opportunity to assist other residents who need special permits to carry out works in their residences. Above all, employment with the Local Council provides you with the opportunity to work on different areas namely social, cultural, animal welfare, active ageing, refuse management, infrastructural and environmental sustainability, village exchanges and improvement in traffic systems. All of these different sectors would eventually help you develop different skills and abilities for an improved life style.

Local Council elected members do spend less time with their staff the latter considered to be the face of their locality. One must understand the important role Local Council employees play within their area; this all boils down to the positive attitude and right frame of mind they have coupled with the urge to improve the quality of life of their residents.

This is undoubtedly sheer job satisfaction and despite that not everything is plain sailing there would be the days where one has to face irritated residents who would either lack some sort of basic understanding of how Local Councils work or else would be innocently blamed for any outcome which eventually would not fall into the Council’s competency. It’s hard to explain to the residents when for example they would have an issue and would pretend the local council to solve it for them; it is during such circumstances where the skills and abilities of our employees need to be highlighted. There are situations where a resident would approach the Local Council in sheer frustration and would end up leaving much calmer as he would eventually understand that certain things are not always as one would think they are. Only those attending to the residents’ needs within the Local Council could actually provide the residents with further assist the same residents to gradually change their perception on the Local Council.  This goes hand in hand with the way staff assist the residents through the telephone nowadays.

Is employment within the Local Council a bed of roses and provides you always a sense of satisfaction? Surely not.

Employees within the Local Councils go beyond their call of duty, making sacrifices and work long hours due to their sense of commitment towards their locality and councillors. Others go out of their way even on matters that do not fall within their remit to handle and explain processes; this is due to lack of resources.

Employees, often face uncomfortable situations; situations where they would feel threatened or hardly recognized for their efforts from those who could barely reason things out.

A career within the Local Council provides you with the opportunity to help you enhance your skills through training and a number of courses; this training would not only be beneficial for the current employment but would serve to enhance you holistically

overall throughout your personal and private life. The experiences one would collate from working in different local councils would definitely provide you with different perspectives of what the general public needs and the way they think about certain matters.

All-in-all I still believe that there are many valid reasons why one should consider taking a career within the sphere of Local Government namely:

• To have the ability to actually make a change in the life of people within your locality
• Have the possibility to actually spend the day’s work to affect positive changes within the same locality
• To be part of a change which actually brings a bigger change in people’s lives
• To get the opportunity to actually implement one’s own ideas coupled with those of the local council for better leadership within the locality
• To be in a better position to actually understand the rationale why the Local Council does take certain decisions or environmental initiatives of which one could be part even during the initial stages
• To rekindle passion and appreciate the effort done for certain tasks which take place and which most of the time would have been taken for granted
• To be part and parcel of a needed socio-economical change while having the opportunity to meet with different people
• To, along with other colleagues be in the right position to instigate and enforce pressure for certain changes to happen both at a national and local level
• Local Council enriches the individual; it would give you the right dose of exposure to certain experiences which would actually make a tangible change in people’s lives
• Would give you the opportunity to implement the electoral manifesto which in itself provides a massive challenge

Work within Local Councils offers a unique opportunity to the ones involved to plan ahead for their communities.  The projects involved could vary from culture and arts, from having a central library to environmental initiatives, enhanced security within the area, long life learning opportunities, providing social assistance, improved infrastructure and an endless list of benefits.   All of this contributes towards the residents’ aspirations.

Since Local Councils are part of the public sector, this would serve as a key indicator about how this same service could reach people’s expectations.  Employees constitute a crucial part of this whole process by the way they work and operate one day after the other.

Undoubtedly, work within the Local Council does not only test one’s abilities but is a test to one’s skills and characteristics. It is an opportunity of how one could directly participate in the decisions and implementations where individuals have a right to air and voice their opinion.

Mario Fava
President

During the last days we have assisted to a very important decision taken by the central government towards the suspension of an application by Infrastructure Malta for a temporary caravan site despite the various comments on the rights and obligations of caravan owners. On the contrary one would also listen to various residents’ rights towards a free access to our beaches. Many are those caravan owners who during the summer period would occupy our beaches without leaving any foreshore access. For the general benefit and interest there should be various open discussions with different stakeholders the outcome of which could lead to better solutions in the interest of everybody.

Introduction

One needs to kick off from the point that not each locality has the benefit of open recreational spaces for its residents.  Moreover, there are a large number of families who live in apartments without an adequate balcony, yard or garden for their children to recreate themselves; therefore, the number of recreational zones is somehow imperative. We need to understand and take care of the social and recreative aspects of our residents; it transpires that a number of families can’t afford  a decent residence and would instead publicly occupy caravan sites, with the latter being their only shelter.

One has to exercise caution and adopt a wider approach to avoid conflicts amongst those with different priorities for the use of the same land including farmers.

Rural zones with lesser population, agricultural zones and natural resources are very scarce in Malta hence we should focus more on our priorities.

In order to avoid conflict, there should be a holistic plan in place when dealing with protected land, camping, hiking and picnic sites.  There needs to a clear distinction between open country spaces and coastal area spaces to avoid undue pressure on the latter.

This is considered to be a seasonal pressure; coastal areas might bear higher undue pressure during the summer months and could be the cause of conflict amongst those occupying the space with caravans and other residents who would visit the area for a couple of hours for recreational purposes. It would be unfair that the same individuals would hijack public zones and grounds for long periods.

One has to distinguish between structures that are trailer driven and electric camper vans.

Priorities

Undoubtedly, many believe that there has to be particular spaces allocated for this type of hobby. If this would be the case, there has to be an understanding of what is best for our country, especially for localities which are designated to host this recreational concept. Are we opting for smaller spaces in a larger number of sites or are we going for fewer but larger sites? Would we be seeking and understanding the impact this would have on the tourism industry? Are we seeing to the fact how these coastal sites could create conflict with the use of slipways not just because these would be obstructed, but also because of the additional issues of boat trailers’ owners who would want to take their boats to and from the sea through the boat ramps. Are we planning law enforcement?  This should be the point for a holistic discussion which the government has wisely decided upon.

Undoubtedly, smaller spaces scattered around the island create less impact than larger ones which are however fewer. This consideration is not just about the visual impact but also about the impact on the infrastructure, the overall upkeep, drainage system, water supply etc. I believe that in larger sites one needs to carry out an environmental impact assessment.  On the other hand, smaller sites scattered around the island are more difficult to be managed by the authorities.

The Local Council’s involvement

As like other matters happening in our localities, we have to understand the involvement of our Local Councils. It is a fact that caravan sites do create certain issues and very often police forces would need to be called in to take over situations which at times would go beyond control.

We, as a nation and society, are barely disciplined to protect the heritage that we own and which we are our bound to pass on to our future generations.

It is highly important that the Local Councils are to be involved in the making of such policies.  This is due to the fact that the Local Councils are the closest from all entities to the residents and their locality; elected members can easily understand the challenges of their residents since they reside with them round the clock. These situations are to be used to our advantage thus, because whatever is implemented can then be rarely opposed.

Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Salini, Żonqor and Żejtun are some of the few challenging zones that come to mind. We have to carefully keep in mind other camping and picnic zones where in most of the situations one finds illegal structures that were meant to be temporary however ended up being permanent. These situations create conflict with the daily temporary users of the area.  This brings us back to the argument on the importance of law enforcement for the right balance of land usage.

Land permits and usage

One must clearly differentiate between temporary and short-term permits.  According to my current understanding, nowadays, there are only temporary permits without a clear indication of their expiry.  When considering a national policy will we be delving upon the issuance of daily, weekly or monthly permits? Should granted permits be automatically renewed following their expiry? Is it just that a caravan owner would leave his own car parked in the caravan space so that same would self-reserve his own space upon his return the following weekend? Is it fair that there isn’t better use of such public spaces with a fair chance of the same space being enjoyed by the public at large? Is it fair and just that some may choose to literally hijack the coastal area for the summer period leaving no proper access to the residents and hotel guests? Should there be an effective alternating system in the issue of permits, with a proper and organized waiting list for each indicated caravan site?

Each site has to be managed by an appointed site manager who will ensure that such abuse won’t happen. This role will be the communication link between the Local Council, the authorities and the caravan owners themselves. The latter should appoint an Administrator from amongst themselves for the sake of a faster and more efficient level of communication. I strongly believe that the Administrator and the site Manager can very efficiently coordinate a booking system that allocates booking slots and thus avoid over-crowding; this is beneficial both for the caravan owners and for the same site to be publicly enjoyed.

One should consider how this model could be jointly developed with the private sector where the government would appoint private companies to administer these sites.

I believe that these questions could stir a sound and interesting discussion for the proper identification of the most suitable mechanism for the running of similar sites.

New niche in the tourism industry

A holistic plan for this sector in the long run could create a new niche for the tourism industry. For this to be operationalised there needs to be a sight energy plan which should preferably be derived from clean and alternative sources, an infrastructure of rapid charging pillars, new drainage systems, water supply and other sanitary services including strong internet connections and other daily necessities for individuals to avoid unnecessary daily commuting.  It would be ideal should these camping sites be promoting local produce; this would give higher visibility and promotion to the local culture and traditions.  Such authentic promotion would give Maltese sites added advantage over European ones.

Should Malta be looking towards such concept we have to ensure a safe and sound transport connectivity between the airport, the caravan sites and Malta’s main attractions including Ċirkewwa, Valletta, Mdina and Kottonera.

These sites should bear sufficient information on pathways and rural cycling routes leading to certain areas of interest like Rabat, Dingli, Qrendi/Żurrieq, Siġġiewi/Għar Lapsi, Marsaxlokk/Tas-Silġ and others.

In such zones one could possibly consider the cultivation of fresh herbs for self-consumption.

All of these initiatives give our sites a local particular identity which would eventually attract tourists who would be specifically looking for these types of surroundings for their vacation.

Conclusion

These sites could provide a twofold experience to the tourists and local travellers; it’s either an unforgettable positive experience or otherwise a totally negative experience even to those who would not make use of such space.

Therefore, in each intervention one has to ensure that spaces which are designed to specifically cater for caravans should ensure higher standards of hygiene, protection of the environment, security and accessibility.

I believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to hobby caravan enthusiasts to be out and about, however this hobby has to be in conformity with the natural surroundings and those living in the area.

In all this there has to be total synergy and communication between the government entities and agencies for works to be carried out during the most appropriate periods. It would not make sense at all that structural works and sites identification are carried out during peak months when such sites would be high in demand and full of people as this could unnecessarily leave a negative impact.

I must say that political commitment coupled with proper planning and total synergy between all parties involved, towards this ever-growing sector could undoubtedly expand and generate public revenues.

Mario Fava
President

What do you, as a reader think about your Local Council? How comfortable are you with the way matters are being conducted in your locality? In line with the Local Government’s financing, how much do you think is your Local Council giving back to the community in which it operates? Do you feel well informed about what is happening within your Local Council?

These are the typical self-questions one should be making when casting the vote to elect the Local Council representatives every five years. But more than getting an answer for one’s own questions, it is crucial that your respective Local Council would be sensitive enough to your replies. This is the only way forward how Local Councils would improve their existing services while introducing new ones and transfer their financial allocation from one fund to another according to their residents’ needs The way the resident feels on how much informed is he about what is happening in their locality though their Local Council is automatically reflected on the level of trust the resident would have on the same Local Council and it’s elected members. Keeping the residents informed and involved makes the resident feel part and parcel of what is going on. No matter the hard work of the Local Councils, residents who are not kept up to date about what is going on would automatically relay the wrong message of a  non-performing Local Council.

Some of the councillors might reason out that negative comments are only a perception; this is undoubtedly a wrong attitude. There are mechanisms in place which a Local Council could adopt from time to time to gauge the resident’s perception about the work being carried out within their Local Council.  Should we remain insensitive to our residents’ needs and keep on assuming that this is just a perception, this attitude would eventually result in a lack of trust vote when the residents would be casting their vote

The time has come for Local Councils to adapt to change and current times and be more accountable towards the electorate who elected them and to the Local Government who each year would dish out millions of euros for an effective decentralisation process.

For this transition to happen, Local Councils need to have in place a comprehensive evaluation model which could gauge their work objectively. For this to be achieved, one needs to have in place a scientific model based on an Empirical research.  This model should initially lead to a better understanding of the citizens in each locality along with a better and solid understanding of how much the Local Council would be diligently affecting its duties in line with the Government’s strategic objectives.

If we really need to elevate the role of the Local Councils, this research should help us understand what the residents actually think and feel about their respective Councils. This actually establishes what the residents really want, what is important for them and what actually makes a difference in their lives and those of their families. However, this is not enough, as it is useless to just know what people think or want.

It is somehow very important to establish the limitations of the Local Councils their functions and whether they could actually carry out their duties without hindrance and excessive bureaucracy. Following this evaluation, one needs to understand the difference between what the residents actually believe versus what is achievable from the Local Council’s side.

We need to understand what is actually hindering the Local Councils from actually achieving their residents’ expectations. One needs to ask what are their financial and legislative restrictions?What are the shortcomings when it comes to human resources? How come no one applies for any vacancies within the Local Council? Is a career within the Local Council considered as a ride in the park or shall one actually give more value to this role which could be more considered as a mission rather than just an employment?

This exercise does not only shed light on the residents’ perception about the Local Councils, does not only establish the limits and restrictions of the Local Councils and the lack of uniformity that exist within the Local Councils themselves but actually defines the characteristics which create these differences.

What follows this process is the most critical and the most important. The next steps would be the setting up of a number of recommendations on the findings which would eventually lead to the neutralisation of such differences. The recommendations could vary and could include:

• An educational campaign with the residents to help them better understand the role of the Local Councils
• An educational campaign for the general public which clearly differentiates the roles of the Local Government and the Central Government
• An adjustment to the mechanism of the financial allocation
• Adjustment to the Local Councils’ functions
• Improved overview of the subsidy and decentralisation principles
• An overview of the Local Councils’ planning
• A reform on the Local Government division
• A reform in the administration of Local Councils
• Discussion on the roles of the elected members within the Local Councils
• Discussion which leads to a reform of the Mayor’s role and other members

This exercise should be the basis of a renewal and a reform within the Local Government.  Since 1993 there have been a series of amendments, updates, reforms and renewals however, these barely took place in line with the residents’ expectations.  These only happened based on the agenda of the leading politicians during that particular period.

If the resident is always at the centre of the Local Council’s work plan, how much more should the resident be at the centre of this renewal process?

Following thirty years of Local Government, I strongly believe in the next steps. We have to forget what happened, what we have and what we were used to; a thirty-year span seems quite lengthy but within the new structural framework of the Local Government, the length of this period is next to nothing; thirty years are not a generation.

For this to happen, the government has to be the catalyst to initiate a new thinking process and launch new models. As the reigning political party, the latter has to take the bull by the horns and ensure that the Local Councils will remain relevant and adapt themselves to the current situations.  Each reform has to be forward looking and should keep developing on the current framework.

Undoubtedly, it goes without saying that the time for a change has come. The Local Government has to be looked into more diligently; to date this process has always been compared to a patient who despite of being aware of his medical condition keeps on masking his pain by taking pain killers rather than treating the source of his illness.

Local Councils have always made an impact on their residents’ lives however there is much more to be achieved. Each reform which needs an implementation process and has to have the entire backing of the politicians, the administrative staff, mayors and councillors. Coupled with the positivity and transparency, this process needs efficiency. These three key ingredients would guarantee a fresh and must needed change to the local and regional councils.

The Association of the Local Councils coupled with the assistance from the Government is all set to be the catalyst of this reform; if this reform happens in an effective manner it would be paving the forthcoming three years for Local Councils.

Mario Fava
President

This was the theme being discussed during the Conference which was organised in a leading Gozo hotel on Saturday 16 July.  The event also marked the 25^th year of service the present Mayor David Apap Agius has given to the local council in his current role.

David – the people’s person

I have known David for quite a number of years and he is the type of character with whom you can tend to disagree on a lot of matters however, his outstanding trait is outstanding that one would know where he stands with him at all times. Besides, one can consider David to be a people’s person who would constantly know what is happening in his locality at all times. Along with other counsellors and Local Council staff he managed to uplevel Għarb to the extent of being the envy of other Gozitan and Maltese localities. This is due to the fact that they have managed to successfully participate in activities and initiatives which were beneficial to the residents of this picturesque locality; a locality which is yet unruined from the ‘progress’ of development.  David, wish you well and may you keep on pursuing with your work towards the Locality you believe so much in.

The Conference

The conference mentioned earlier on had the valid participation of various representatives from around Europe.  Participants from Poland, Serbia, Romania, Lithuania, Greece, Italy and Turkey participated in the conference which focused on the citizen’s participation in the strengthening of democracy.

Amongst the main speakers, there was the valid contribution of President Emeritus of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, Parliament Secretary for Local Government Onor. Alison Zerafa Civelli, regional president Dr. Samuel Azzopardi, Gozo speaker for the Opposition Hon. Alex Borg and Director for Local Government Marisa Pisani.

During my speech in this conference I spoke how the residents’ and citizens’ participation in decision taking situations constitute more vibrant democratic societies.  We can’t have a democratic society if there would not be the right and effective mechanisms of accountability; good local and regional governance are also of utmost importance. Good governance is key to the fundamental principles of local government leadership; it is the main pillar on which the local and regional European Council Charter of leadership is structured.

Nowadays, local governments are being faced with a number of challenges and hence the residents’ participation in decision taking is somehow crucial.  If the resident feels that he is not part of the decision taking mechanism and initial discussions and if he feels that the Local Council is not equipped to effectively implement change, he would eventually lose interest and the whole argument would fizzle down.

It is highly important that the resident is at the core of this decision taking mechanism; when there is enough subject knowledge and proper brainstorming then the consultation stage would be a somehow swift process and this would serve as a learning and improvement opportunity of the original proposals. With such a mechanism in place, the citizen and the resident would comfortably feel they pertain to their society and their region due to healthy discussions and consultations.  This is what constitutes democratic societies.

It is up to each council and region to find the best method of engaging their respective residents in any consultation process; this could take place in various ways and means including meetings, focus groups, conferences, referendums and others.  Practices which would work in certain councils and regions would not necessarily work in others.  The bottom-up approach is crucial and somehow very important.

Mario Fava
President