Local Government - Office of the Director General
Director General - Mr Natalino Attard
Head EU and International Affairs Unit - Mr Robert Tabone
Principle, Accounts Unit - Ms Astrid Pell
Legal Officer, Legal Unit - Dr. Mariella Silvio
Local Government - Monitoring and Support
Director - Mr Christopher Galea
Assistant Director - Mr Vincent Vella
Head, HR Unit - Ms Bernice Seychell
Head, Customer Support Unit - Mr Duncan Busuttil
Local Government - Strategy and Policy Implementation
Director - Ms Marisa Pisani
Assistant Director - Mr Simon Agius
Senior Manager - Ms Dorianne Diacono
Officer in charge Schemes & Admin. Public Property - Ms Dorianne Diacono
Local Government - Finance and Procurement Compliance
Director - Ms Clare Bugeja
Assistant Director – Ms Vanessa Azzopardi
Officer in Scale 5 – Mr Joseph Tabone
Management Support Executive – Ms Maria Bonnici
Objectives and Responsibilities
The Local Government Division was set up in January 2017 as part of the Local Government Reform. The divisional set-up incorporates an office of the Director General and three directorates: the Department for Local Government Monitoring and Support (formerly known as the Department for Local Government) and the Directorate for Local Government Strategy and Policy Implementation.
The Local Government Division, through the Office of the Director General and the three directorates has the following objectives:
Advisory role to the ministry
The Division has an advisory role to the Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary and the Permanent Secretary on all issues related to local government, including advice on legislation, policies and procedures. The Division also gives advice on issues of an EU or international dimension, including the areas related to the Committee of the Regions (EU), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (Council of Europe) and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).
The Division, through its three directorates, provides guidance and support to local government, including through the issue of Directives and Circulars for the effective and efficient functioning and operations as well as to ensure uniformity of application and implementation of legislation and procedures. Guidance and support is also given to local authorities with respect to EU Programmes, including the provision of information seminars and project application stage.
The Division also ensures that there is co-ordination of all initiatives by other ministries and departments that directly or indirectly affect the functions and operations of local authorities.
Training and Personal Development
Through the Department for Local Government, local authorities’ political and executive officials are given training and information seminars on a regular basis. This includes training to Executive Secretaries and staff on new legislation and procedures.
The Division senior management participate in the Minister’s and Parliamentary Secretary’s Strategic Meetings and therefore actively contribute towards the formulation of new local government legislative proposals and policies.
The Division, through the Monitoring and Support Directorate supervises the administrative functions and operations of the local authorities (Regional Committees and Local Councils), in particular with adherence to legislation.
The Division, through the Directorate for Local Government Strategy and Programme Implementation, implements initiatives and programmes that are devised by the ministry and/or the Parliamentary Secretariat, such as Grant Schemes. The Directorate is also responsible for research and innovation and to assist in the decentralization processes.
Compliance and Financial Control
The Division, through the Compliance and Procurement Directorate conducts compliance reviews of the Local Councils’ financial and procurement activities, to ensure adherence by local councils with pertinent financial and procurement laws and regulations. Reports disclose recommendations for the Executive Secretaries’ and Councillors’ attention and perusal. Apart from compliance reviews, the Directorate performs internal audits specifically focused on the Local Councils’ primary financial cycles. The Directorate assists Executive Secretaries in the assessment of the Councils’ financial cycles in terms of internal controls and good financial management. Through the independent analysis of financial processes and procedures, Local Councils are given the opportunity to acquire better understanding of financial and procurement weaknesses, thus enabling the Executive Secretary to introduce or enhance related internal controls. Furthermore, the Directorate has an advisory role, in that, Local Councils are free to seek guidance from the Directorate with respect to financial management and accounting issues. The Directorate also plays a pivotal role in the implementation of National Audit Office (NAO) recommendations since the Directorate facilitates the implementation of NAO recommendations and Local Government Auditors’ management letters and compiles related action plans, monitors Local Councils’ financial performance and position through the collection and analysis of financial data and conducts ongoing meetings to ensure recovery or compliance with NAO requirements.