TMID Editorial: Enforcement and councils
Local councils play an important role in society. Among other things, they are a first point of contact for many residents who face issues which, although possibly minor, do affect them.But over the years, the responsibilities that local councils hav
Local councils play an important role in society. Among other things, they are a first point of contact for many residents who face issues which, although possibly minor, do affect them.
But over the years, the responsibilities that local councils have had have been slowly taken away. For instance, waste collection was removed from their direct responsibility.
Mayors have complained about the lack of powers that local councils have to truly be local governments in the past.
Floriana Mayor Nigel Holland, for instance, said that the passing on of local enforcement responsibilities to LESA and the introduction of a national rubbish collecting scheme is undermining local councils and undoing the efforts to decentralise governance.
Local councils should be turned into true local governments.
Looking at the issue of enforcement, in an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday, Naxxar Mayor Chris Deguara believes that councils should have an enforcement arm.
"The enforcement we are promised by government authorities is far from what is desired. In Naxxar we have Community Police officers, but there are only three or four of them, and they are not always on call. We get support from the officers, and I thank them for their work, but it is not enough because they have other things to do as well." Enforcement is one of the biggest issues facing the country, he said. As examples of the kind of capabilities he suggested that local councils should have, he wants councils to have enforcement arms that can issue fines for violations such as illegal parking and the unauthorised placement of tables and chairs on pavements.
This could result in far better enforcement of these issues than is present today. Today, residents need to either complain directly to central authorities who oversee the whole country, or complain to councils who then need to complain to central authorities in order to try and get something done. How much easier would it be if councils were able to enforce tables and chairs legislation, or send an enforcement officer to issue a ticket to a car parked in front of a garage not belonging to them or have it towed.
While on the issue of powers, the Naxxar Mayor also calls for councils to have a greater say on major planning applications in their locality. It should be that way. With just a single vote on the PA Board today, the local councils - who are directly elected by the people who reside in that locality, can just be shoved aside when a major development application that could change the very face of their locality comes to a vote. How is that doing right by the residents of that locality?
If we want to make local councils really effective, then empower them. Improve their funding so that they can more easily conduct projects without having to apply for central government schemes, and yes when that is done increase oversight on councils in terms of their financials while ensuring that in councils there is someone who is qualified to guide the council to make financially sound decisions.
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