Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544603
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 APRIL 2026 Initiatives to help Local Councils operate better APRIL saw the launch of two in- itiatives expressly meant to pro- vide useful skills, information and strategies within the Local Government sector while help- ing local councils across Malta and Gozo to operate better. One focuses on a series of spe- cialised training and courses to elected members and employ- ees of local counclils, the other an exchange of information on the scheme intended to pro- vide dog parks and cat cafes in village and town open spaces. These and several other ongo- ing or completed initiatives are ultimately aimed at providing better and more efficient servic- es to residents in our communi- ties. The National Training Strategy (NTS) for Local Government was launched last year, with the first certificates of merit present- ed in April to those councillors and employees who successful- ly completed their respective courses. The project is being administered by the National Training Council within the Lo- cal Government sector, made up of the Public Service Insti- tute, the Directorate for Local Government, the Association of Local Councils and the Associa- tion of Executive Secretaries. The Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli, highlighted the importance of investing in hu- man resources, noting that em- ployment within Local Councils is increasingly seen as a long- term career in an active local government ambience. She said that "while this initiative will go a long way towards attracting more human resources to the sector, it will also strengthen workers' proficiencies and help deliver higher-quality services, in line with Malta Vision 2050." In his address, the Minister for European Funds and the Imple- mentation of the Electoral Man- ifesto, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, described the programme as a direct investment in communi- ties through stronger human resources. He said the pro- gramme is co-financed through the European Social Fund, with a total investment of around €600,000, of which approxi- mately €530,000 come from EU funding. He emphasised that "training opportunities contrib- ute to more professional and ef- ficient services for citizens". The programme includes training courses, study visits and practi- cal experiences both locally and abroad, aimed at broadening participants' expertise. ************** Another April initiative was the holding of an information meeting with local councils to provide further details on a re- cently-launched scheme sup- porting the development of dog parks and cat cafés in local communities in both Malta and Gozo. The session was addressed by Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and An- imal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said and Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zera- fa Civelli, who spoke of the im- portance of improving facilities for animals and their owners across Malta's urban areas. Over 60% of households in Malta and Gozo own at least one pet. The Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli, said the govern- ment remained committed to enhancing the value of our lo- calities, noting that the scheme would support councils in de- veloping open spaces with tai- lored areas for animals, such as gardens featuring cat cafés and dog parks. She added: "Through this scheme, we are giving local councils another opportunity to continue embellishing their lo- calities with projects that bene- fit both residents and pets." The Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights, Alicia Bugeja Said, said that discussions with pet owners had clearly estab- lished the need for such spaces within our communities. She added: "We therefore wanted to meet with local councils to better understand the require- ments of each community and ensure that these open spaces can truly be enjoyed by families and their pets," she said. During the meeting, the Di- rector for Animal Welfare, Jo- seph John Vella, presented the criteria and application process in detail, while practical infor- mation was also provided on the implementation and op- eration of the projects. He was followed up by the Head of Pro- ject Green, Francoise Chetcuti, who outlined the entity's role in funding and providing techni- cal support. The €750,000 government scheme is designed to fund the development of dog parks and cat cafés with up to €50,000 available per project. Project Green will fund the develop- ments, while local councils are responsible for the imple- mentation and maintenance of these spaces. Among other conditions, the site proposed must cover at least 1,500 square metres, with 80% dedicated to landscaping/green space and 20% of the space dedicated specifically to animals. The scheme is being admin- istered by the Animal Welfare Directorate, with applica- tions open until 31 May 2026 through an online submission process at https://animalwel- fare.gov.mt/rizorsi/skemi/ THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION Including scheme for dog parks and cat cafes in community open spaces