(AGENPARL) – mer 16 ottobre 2024 Image
PRESS RELEASE
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref. CG047(2024)
Malta praised for local government reform but should increase local authorities’ competences
At the same time, the Congress expressed concerns about the limited scope of local self-government, the ineffectiveness of consultations with local authorities, and the excessive supervision of local self-government by the central authorities, particularly through executive secretaries.
The rapporteurs highlighted financial constraints to which local authorities were subject, including the lack of adequate financial own resources allocated to them and dependence on earmarked grants. Additionally, the regions recently recognised as the level of local self-government under domestic law could not be considered genuine regions within the meaning of the Charter since their members were not directly elected and they lacked financial autonomy.
The Congress recommended that the national authorities of Malta, among other measures, increase local authorities’ competences, ensure effective consultation process, limit administrative supervision to supervision of compliance with the law, review the system of financing local authorities, and diversify local funding. It also recommended granting local councils more administrative freedom, enhancing their powers to manage executive secretaries independently, and allowing mayors to choose between full-time or part-time work. Conferring special status on Valletta should also be considered to enable it to meet the specific needs associated with its role as the capital.
Addressing the session, Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli stressed that the amendments to the Local Government Act following the 2019 reform were a key step to providing increased autonomy to local and regional authorities. “While there is still work to be done, it reflects the progress made by successive governments that have remained committed to fostering active citizenship,” she said.
47th Session
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Institutional Communication Unit
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.
President of the Congress: Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD).
Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
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Council of Europe/Conseil de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, Strasbourg, . 67000 France
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