Thirty proposed projects from 29 local councils have been approved for funding under a €1 million fund which was launched last January, Local Government Minister Owen Bonnici announced today.
A total of 83 proposals from 53 local councils had been received, including three projects whose budget actually exceeded the €1 million on offer, prompting selection board chairman Mario Azzopardi to describe the response as phenomenal.
Mr Azzopardi said that the selection board met with every council involved to discuss the proposed projects, openly expressing scepticism when it felt that the proposals were not sustainable or feasible and providing suggestions to improve on them.
The selection of the 30 projects was based on six criteria: the value added that the project would bring, the involvement of the private sector, the financial contribution sought, the way the project matched the government's own priorities, sustainability and the local council's financial situation.
Mr Azzopardi said that while he understood the disappointment of the local councils whose projects have not been selected, he emphasised that no proposal had been discredited by the board, stating that these could be made more feasible in time for another opportunity for funding.
Dr Bonnici noted that the fund was launched in response to the way funds were distributed to local councils in the past, which left a number of local councils financially struggling.
He stressed that projects which could provide a financial contribution to the fund were prioritised, as this allowed for future projects to be funded.
The approved projects include creating a car park in the Yellow Garage area of Valletta, the establishment or upgrading of open spaces or civic centres and even the resurfacing of a few roads.
Four of the projects are in Gozo, while Qormi is the only local council with two approved projects.
Dr Bonnici said that councils whose proposals were not approved had 10 days to appeal to an especially-set up appeals board.
But the announcement has been met with criticism by none other than the president of the Local Councils Association Marc Sant, a Labour Party councillor in Lija. In a Facebook post addressed to Dr Bonnici, he questioned why the funds were already allocated if appeals are yet to be heard.