The local councils of L-Iklin, Marsa and Zabbar have signed an agreement with the Planning Authority for the funding of three projects related to embellishment and refurbishment works within the respective localities, the PA said today.

In the locality of L-Iklin, the Planning Authority agreed to fund embellishment works which will be carried out in Triq il-Wied and its junctions. The works, which are to cost over €43,000, will include the upgrading of the infrastructure and embellishment of the road, the upgrading of water supply and other existing services together with the installation of new traffic signs.

The Authority has also signed an agreement amounting to €33,000 with the Żabbar local council to refurbish the existing public restrooms within Ġnien il-Kunsill. The existing restrooms will be gutted out and replaced with new modern sanitary facilities.  

Another agreement was also signed with Marsa Local Council to fund the embellishment and upgrading of the public staircase which provides commuters with direct access from Triq Diċembru Tlettax to Triq San Tumas, which is close to the Marsa Parish Church. The works are estimated to cost over €7,000.

The agreements were signed between the Planning Authority and the mayors of the three local councils. All works are estimated to be ready within a three month period.

Recently, the Planning Authority announced that it was changing its funding schemes with the purpose of amalgamating them into one and widening the scope for utilisation of these funds. The new funding programme, now known as the Development Planning Fund, is intended to improve upon the former local funding application procedures while give more weighting to the range of proposals that the respective Local Councils may propose for funding. The new Fund will also start to receive a further injection of monies from the fees (20%) the Authority receives through the regularisation application scheme.