The Zebbug council – which enjoys a PL majority - is paying €30,000 annually to an events and marketing consultancy firm run by former PL Tarxien council candidate Massimo Ellul - M&E Management.

But the most pertinent of problems which is engulfing the council is the amount of money being spent on promo material and events - which is holding back the implementation of certain infrastructural projects in the locality.

This comes in the light of the latest auditor general's report on the financial situation of local councils which shows that the Żebbuġ council is the second most indebted council with an accumulated debt of €1,300,000. This is not the only council which is in the red.

But despite the councils’ escalating financial problem – which also comes in the wake of mounting pressure on councils to "manage-down" increasing operational costs – the council paid out a staggering amount of over €100,000 in 2012 only for carnival events, wreath-laying monument activities and promotional material.

This newsroom is informed that the issue of continuous over-spending is leading to conflicts between a former Zebbug mayor and Mr Ellul. This is also evident from a number of messages directed towards Mr Ellul and the council by former mayor Brian Bonnici. The messages were posted on a Facebook page set up for Zebbug residents to air their views. Mr Bonnici is the same person who was cleared of charges of abuse of power. He resigned in 2009.

For instance, printing costs between 2012 and 2014 reached €24,500. One single publication cost around €1,700. The amount paid towards the renting of venues for seminars and conferences reached €14,000. The costs also covered catering for the events. The money allocated towards advertising campaigns in connection with ‘Nightfest’ and other events – organised by the council – was of nearly €40,000.

A small portion of this amount went towards Mannie Galea’s architectural firm – who is Malta’s ambassador to Libya.

Every time a motion was presented to approve the payments of the council, there were few instances where councillors voted against the amount spent or about to be spent.