Community services by local councils are essential, says AD

AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio said local councils are facing increasing costs for their operations, and given that they are restricted in the generation of revenue, they are facing shortages of funds.

“Inevitably, this effects essential services such as those provided to the community,” Briguglio said.

AD spokesman for home affairs Carmel Cacopardo said local councils are not being given enough assistance by government in order to provide the necessary community services. 

“This is leading a number of local councils, such as that of Marsascala, into considering to act as developers, in order to generate funds, so as to be able to provide better services to the community,” Cacopardo said.

He recalled how government passed on the public garden to the Marascala local council, and the council considered works on this garden together with the private sector, in order to regenerate it.

“Fortunately, the local council took public opinion into consideration and did away with such plans,” he said, adding that now remains the idea of building administrative offices for the council in accordance with the MEPA permit issued in 2009. 

The Green Party said that it is of the opinion that no development should take place in the garden: “It is one of the few open spaces left in this locality which has now become a concrete jungle.

“Yet unfortunately, if Government fails to give local councils the necessary means, they shall have no other alternative than to act as developers.”