ADPD has called for a radical decentralisation of Malta’s public administration system in a statement, arguing that local and regional councils should be given greater authority over everyday governance and environmental management.
Addressing the issue, ADPD candidate Carmel Cacopardo said the party believes in strengthening local and regional government through the constitutional recognition of the principle of subsidiarity. He explained that decisions affecting everyday life should be taken by those closest to the communities concerned.
Cacopardo stated that under ADPD’s proposals, the central government would retain a regulatory role, while operational responsibilities would gradually be transferred to regional and local councils. He emphasised that this model should apply across all regions of Malta and not solely to Gozo.
According to ADPD, subsidiarity should extend to most public sectors, excluding areas such as public order, defence, justice, corrective facilities, health, and foreign affairs. One of the key sectors the party believes should be decentralised is environmental governance and land-use planning.
Cacopardo argued that local and regional authorities are often better positioned to safeguard the environment than central government institutions, which he said have repeatedly failed in this regard. Under the proposal, central authorities would continue regulating environmental standards while operational responsibilities would be delegated to regional councils.
Meanwhile, ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci criticised what she described as the weakening of local councils over recent years. She said councils have increasingly been reduced to acting as customer care offices for central government ministries.
Gauci also expressed concern about the growing number of local councillors serving simultaneously as “persons of trust” within ministries. She argued that this practice undermines the independence of local councils and has effectively transformed some councils into extensions of ministerial offices.
She insisted that the management of localities, including responsibilities such as street cleaning, road maintenance, and public infrastructure projects, should be entrusted to local councils rather than government ministries or departments.
As an example, Gauci cited the ongoing refurbishment of Buġibba Square, arguing that the project represents an encroachment by central government on responsibilities that should belong to local authorities.
Gauci further criticised what she described as politically driven interventions by ministries and agencies such as Transport Malta. She claimed that decisions on pedestrianisation projects, gardens, traffic management, and infrastructure are often taken without adequate consultation with local councils and are sometimes influenced by political favouritism.
Gauci also highlighted shortcomings in local enforcement, arguing that wardens have effectively become traffic officers serving central government priorities, while community police officers are spread too thinly across multiple localities.
The party additionally raised concerns over the limited influence local councils have in development decisions. Gauci said it is unacceptable that only one local council representative sits on boards of the Planning Authority when major decisions affecting communities are being taken.
Among the proposals included in ADPD’s electoral manifesto are constitutional recognition of subsidiarity, greater consultation with local councils by government entities, enhanced financial recognition for councillors through honoraria, and the democratic election of regional council leadership through a popular vote.
The party is also proposing that executive secretaries, as public officials, should oversee day-to-day administration, while local and regional councillors should not occupy full-time roles.
ADPD said its overall objective is to create a more accountable and community-based system of governance in which local and regional councils play a central role in decision-making, particularly on environmental matters and major projects affecting their localities.