After having passed round a copy of the 16 proposals of Alternattiva Demokratika regarding the necessary reform in the Local Councils to the Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Chris Said, Dr. Arnold Cassola said that Alternattiva Demokratika believes that success in the Local Councils came about when there was cooperation and a common objective among the elected councillors.

Alternattiva Demokratika started the process of identifying candidates for the upcoming elections so as to continue building on the positive contribution that the councillors elected in its name have given up to today. Alternattiva Demokratika, added Cassola, is insisting that the proposal that AD Youths have put forward in February 2008 regarding the right to vote for sixteen-year old youths would be actualised as parts of this reform.

Carmel Coccopardo, speaker for Sustainable Development and Local Government, said that the 16 proposals presented by AD concern all the work of the Councils. Coccopardo said that AD is in favour of the extension of the term of the Local Councils to 5 years as well as that election is set up once for all the Local Councils together with the European Parliament election.

However AD, Mr Coccopardo added, is sceptical about the proposal that the Mayor would be on a full-time basis and this is because of two reasons: that the executive function is in the responsibility of the Executive Secretary of the Council; moreover, such a proposal would effectively exclude from the role of Mayor a big number of valid individuals because the nature of their jobs (principally in the private sector or self-employed) would not make it possible for them to leave work for a long period.

Ralph Cassar, a councillor elected in the name of AD in the Attard Local Council, emphasised that the AD proposals insist on the need that when a Council takes a decision regarding a bye-law, the Minister should not prolong his decision as to whether he approves of the Council’s proposal or not. He would need to be tied with a deadline to decide and to be obliged to give reasons as to why he did not approve of the Council’s proposal.

Michael Briguglio, Councillor elected in the name of AD in the Sliema Local Council, argued that the parameters within which the financing of the Council is calculated, should be re-examined. Briguglio added that a mechanism is also needed so that Local Councils would have better access to EU programmes and funds. Briguglio maintained that the Local Councils should determine themselves the payment that would need to be affected by the contractors regarding construction work in the locality.

Michael Bajada, representative of the AD Gozo Regional Committee, noted how AD is proposing that there should be a Local Councils’ representative in regional councils, not just in Gozo, but also in Malta’s regional councils where a number of Maltese localities can work together in common areas.

Arnold Cassola concluded that Alternattiva Demokratika would remain working hard so that the work of the Local Council is strengthened and so that Councils remain closer to the needs of the local citizens.

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