It is not just Floriana's problem.

It is one that even the capital city, Valletta, is facing, along with other "old towns", including the Cottonera area and other localities around the Grand Harbour.

The problem we are referring to is population decline.

For decades, people have been moving away from these localities in search for a more convenient way of life, with less congestion and noise, and more open spaces and fresh air. They look for something more modern, wider streets with less traffic, perhaps.

The Malta Independent has reported that Floriana deputy mayor James Aaron Ellul, from the Nationalist Party, has presented what he described as a regeneration plan for the locality, which is to serve as policy guidelines to address this challenge.

It is good to note that the document was approved by the two Labour councillors as well as the mayor, an independent candidate. Having a consensus on the way forward is a very important step in the right direction, as it means that the whole council can work together without any obstacles. The council will now be seeking the residents' views as it moves to possibly reverse the trend.

The idea, Ellul said, is to preserve the locality's rich identity, while coming up with a plan to make Floriana more attractive, mostly to keep more residents from moving away and to possibly attract others to settle in this town. Floriana, it is also known, has a population which has progressively aged in the last decades.

It is a commendable initiative, one that should be given the support it deserves, even from the central government. Whether, on its own, it will be able to achieve the aim indicated is something that only time will tell.

Some of the guidelines will be harder to reach than others. For example, the document proposes financial incentives such as tax reduction for people buying property in Floriana, restoration grants for the purchase of abandoned property and preferential mortgage rates. These are tough obstacles to overcome, given that the Floriana council needs the approval of other authorities to be able to have such initiatives implemented.

Other suggestions are less difficult to achieve, such as the proper upkeep of recreational spaces, the improvement of healthcare and educational facilities and the enhancement of public transport services. With some extra effort, all this is within the council's grasp.

But Floriana stands a better chance of achieving its goal if it does not remain on its own.

Our suggestion is that other councils who are facing the same problem should take Floriana's example and carry out their own studies about the situation in their own locality. This is particularly pertinent to councils which, with Floriana, form the Harbour region. Many of the localities that form part of this group are facing the same issues, and a more concerted effort would possibly have an even bigger impact.

What the Floriana council has come up with could be a starting point to a better future, not only for this particular locality, but for the whole harbour region.