Waste collection services across several localities in Malta's Northern Region have become unsustainable due to persistent shortcomings by the contractor, despite repeated complaints and calls for action since 2023, the Northern Regional Council said in a statement.

The council called for immediate intervention by the authorities, saying that proposed contractual penalties had accumulated to hundreds of thousands of euros while residents continued to face inadequate services.

Since the beginning of 2023, the Northern Region and its local councils have repeatedly insisted, through meetings, reports and official correspondence, that the waste collection contractor strictly comply with its contractual obligations, the statement said. Despite these efforts, shortcomings have persisted, and the service in many of the region's nine localities has become unsustainable.

The region said the problem was not limited to waste collection services not being carried out properly, but also involved the contractor's repeated failure to comply with the terms of its contract.

Documented shortcomings included insufficient vehicles operating in each locality, waste collection outside the established hours, deficiencies in vehicle monitoring through GPS, inadequate information about collection routes and the traceability of collected waste, as well as other contractual obligations that remained unfulfilled.

Despite repeated warnings and opportunities to address these shortcomings, the substantial improvements required had yet to materialise, the statement said.

The region said it had also submitted proposals for contractual penalties amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros.

Local councils cannot continue bearing the consequences

The region said mayors, councillors and local council employees were facing frustration and justified criticism from residents, despite having spent years insisting that the contractor fulfil its obligations.

It acknowledged its responsibilities in administering and monitoring the contract, but said enforcing certain measures also required intervention by the competent authorities.

"It is unacceptable for the region and local councils to continue bearing the consequences of the contractor's shortcomings while residents' trust in local government continues to weaken," the statement said.

Time for enforcement and an overall review of the system

The Northern Region called on the ministry responsible for local government, the Local Government Division and the competent authorities to take immediate action, including decisions on the proposed penalties, strict enforcement of contractual conditions and an action plan with clearly defined responsibilities and deadlines.

The statement said that where the contractor continued to fail to meet its obligations, the applicable contractual and legal measures should be activated.

"Public contracts must be respected, and contractual obligations must be enforced and upheld. Compliance with a contract is not a choice, but an obligation," it said.

The region said the situation was well known, the shortcomings had been documented and requests for intervention had been made since 2023.

"The region and local councils cannot continue to be held hostage by the contractor while facing criticism from residents over a service that is not being delivered as agreed," the statement said.

It warned that the situation had reached a point where another summer could not be allowed to pass, let alone the remainder of the contract, without concrete and effective action.

"After all, what is the value of contractual conditions if they are not respected?" it asked.

The region also called for a complete review of the waste collection system, arguing that the one-size-fits-all approach was creating severe problems.

It said the time had come for an objective discussion at national level on whether local councils should once again be given the authority to make adjustments according to their respective needs.

The statement said this was a fundamental principle of subsidiarity, which formed the basis for the existence of local councils in Malta.

"If we truly believe that local councils are local government, then these councils must have the powers of local government," it said.

"The time has come for everyone with responsibility to act without further delay," the statement concluded.