Cynics and sceptics took the opportunity to gloat and say “I told you so”. I fail to understand that in the 16 years of the existence of local councils, the fact that a handful of serious and not so serious scandals has emerged negates all the positive things that local councils have done. I also fail to understand how these scandals can in any way be linked to the participation of political parties in local councils.

Mayors and councillors are elected because residents trust them. This trust should not however be blind. Mayors and councillors, however popular they might be, have to be assessed constantly. They should not be over enthusiastic, nor feel secure and untouchable in their seat of power.

Local councils manage millions of euros a year and as a mayor I am well aware that there are those who are tempted to mismanage some of these funds. Mayors and councillors are not only politicians who preach, and make speeches. They actually implement policies by investing funds in projects that improve the quality of life in their locality. Some also have their pet projects and lobby and work very hard to obtain funding to bring them to fruition

Local councils do things that by and large are now taken for granted. They collect domestic and non-domestic waste on a daily basis; they assure law and order in our roads and are consistently planning and carrying out infrastructural works.

Maladministration and corruption slow down progress and residents are cheated of what is rightfully theirs. Therefore, the regulatory system in place has to be robust enough to discourage dishonesty. The structure, despite all its detractors, has managed to identify a number of serious infractions that have put at risk the trust that people have in local councils and their members. As much as these cases are of concern, we should also be delighted that they were detected, investigated and prosecuted.

Although I accept that the persons that involve themselves in local councils are, like others those who involve themselves in national politics, subject to public and administrative scrutiny, I firmly believe that personal attacks should be totally excluded from politics. I also believe that politicians have an obligation to be transparent in their political actions and that a clear demarcation should be set for political parties and the journalists employed by their media organisations.

Politicians should not try to escape from questions about policies or administration, even if the answers thereto are not universally popular. If politicians want to be popular, then taking unpopular decisions has to be backed by logic and reasoning.

Local councils administer public funds and as a consequence they have to operate according to strict financial rules, which rules are being amended continuously. Councils undergo rigorous audits from the Auditor General. The recent amendments to the Local Councils Act have made the executive secretary of the council the central government’s watchdog on the council’s business. The executive secretary is no longer an employee of the local council, but is now a government civil servant and is obliged to inform the central government of any wrong doing. The down side of this policy is that local council cannot head hunt from outside the civil service. But more importantly, such a system has put an added onus on executive secretaries who have to guarantee that they are giving the council the correct advice. Any wrong decisions taken by the council based upon the executive secretary’s advice will mean that it is his/her head that will be on the block. The executive secretary is part and parcel of the whole operation and his or her silence or agreement about decisions taken by the council would be a tacit consent to the council that is all well.

What does the future hold for local councils? In my candid opinion, being acquainted with most of the protagonists, the future should be bright. The councils will carry out more works; they will implement more policies and attend to residents needs. Local councils are not perfect and in their nature they will be subject to controversy which may at times be the cause of embarrassment to people who are not directly involved in the controversy.

Voters have a crucial part to play in trusting people whom they honestly think can do a good honest job of representing them. Voters are more often than not taken up by the fever of election campaigns, however, I believe that the electorate have a sixth sense that they should use and fine tune. Voting the best people into power, at whatever level is crucial and is the sole responsibility of the electorate, who should use their vote wisely. There are no handbooks on voting, only on campaigning and public relations. This does not mean that voters cannot sense what is behind the slogans and the glossy brochures.

My appeal to the public at large is that local councils are a marvellous tool that a small society such as ours can take advantage of. Irrespective of the mishaps that have taken place in these few months, Local Councils have barely started showing their full potential. Residents have to keep a watchful eye on what is going on in their locality and give voice to their opinion and concerns.

Dr Malcolm Mifsud is mayor

of Pieta and President of the Central Region. He is also the former President of the College of Councillors of the Nationalist Party.