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Description
Programme outcome the project contributes to: “Improved quality of life of deprived communities in urban localities”.
The project will provide several measures of capacity-building, including training to local council staff on principles of good governance, accountable institutions and transparency with special emphasis on managing the grant scheme and thereby increasing the capacity of local councils to successfully implement projects under the SGS.
Project activities shall include:
- mapping and identifying current community realities of eligible urban local councils;
- information sessions for executive secretaries in urban localities eligible for participation in the SGS;
- thematic networking for sharing of experience and best practices, open to all local and regional authorities in Malta, including rural areas;
- internships, study visits, exchange of experience and networks. This may be open to the representatives of the eligible urban localities at national level or in collaboration with donor entities;
- training of newly elected councillors following the local elections to be held in 2019. Training may be open to all elected members in the 68 local councils.
- fostering a dialogue between the political and administrative arms of Local Councils, between the Local Government Division and Local Councils, between the Local Government Division, the Local Councils, the Local Councils Association and the Association of Executive Secretaries for Local and Regional Councils. This may be open to all Local and Regional Authorities in Malta;
Summary of project results
Local Councils are faced with a number of challenges. Their proximity to the local citizen, through the provision of a wide range of important services corresponding to increased and diversified needs, render Local Councils’ financial management and governance subject to high-level community interest. As noted in the European Semester reports and CSRs, there is a need to strengthen the overall governance framework and the institutional capacity of public administration in Malta. The project aimed to address governance practices in general, focusing on training in matters of transparency and accountability.
The project trained to local council staff that included both elected members and administrative staff working in the local government sector on principles of good governance, accountable institutions and transparency. The provision of training/information was provided throughout the project agreement duration.
- Thematic networking for sharing of experience and best practices, open to all local and regional authorities in Malta, including rural areas;
- 2 study visits to Norway;
- Training of elected councillors of the 68 local councils;
- Fostered dialogue between the political and administrative arms of Local Councils, between the Local Government Division and Local Councils, between the Local Government Division, the Local Councils, the Local Councils Association and the Association of Executive Secretaries for Local and Regional Councils.
There were 47 activities organised that included training, team-building, study-visits, networking sessions amongst others. Activities were open for both the elected members and administrative staff working in the local government sector. In total there were 424 people who attended one or more than one activity organised (the indicator was 20) and all 68 Local Councils were covered (20 were envisaged). In total, the number of attendees to all the 47 activities was 919 and 41 trainers/facilitators were involved overall.
Summary of bilateral results
The donor project partner is a leading institution with regards to training and standards concerning good governance, transparency, and accountability practices. Their invaluable support, in terms of experience, training, sharing of good practices and documentation has ensured the best possible knowledge-delivery to the different actors of the local governance sector. In line with the project application, the KS provided its expert advise on the Terms of Reference of the project management tender, on the identification of community realities, on training course content and related delivery, on sharing of methodology of process facilitators in relation to the thematic networking initiatives and hosted 2 study-visits to Norway. The collaboration between the Local Government Division and KS has now spanned for around 10 years. The intention is to keep investing in this relationship due to the KS’s experience and expertise. Apart from the fact that KS have come to better understand the Maltese local governance sector which makes them best placed in providing support on any future initiative project we will draft in the coming future.