Labour-led Qormi has netted the largest income from wardens’ fines.
PN-led Attard is the locality with the greatest deficit between March 2006 and March 2007 Attard has seen its deficit increase from Lm606 to Lm86,230.
The deficit was accumulated in the year preceding last March’s local elections, during which the expenditure on roads and street paving had shot up from Lm16,625 to Lm69,512. This emerges from a MaltaToday probe into the accounts for each local council, which were presented in parliament last week.
PN-led council Swieqi which also had local elections last March, saw its Lm6,528 surplus in 2006 develop into a Lm36,342 deficit.
Labour-led council Zebbug has seen a remarkable improvement in its financial situation, which reached an ebb in 2005 with a deficit of Lm34,417. Zebbug now emerges as the locality with the biggest surplus: Lm85,148.
The MaltaToday analysis also shows that Qormi and Zebbug have collected most revenue from wardens’ fines. Qormi has collected an astounding Lm236,696 from the law enforcement system, while Zebbug collected Lm206,236.
Sliema has also witnessed a remarkable improvement in its financial fortunes in the past year. In 2006 – the financial year coinciding with the last local election – the Sliema council had a deficit of Lm25,345. Now the council has a surplus of Lm27,252.
The onslaught of construction in Sliema has translated into an income of Lm25,668 from the council levy on cranes. Other permit fees have yielded the council Lm24,094.
Valletta, the capital city, has also ended the year with an Lm11,494 surplus.
Mosta emerges the locality with the greatest debt. The newly elected Labour council found a debt of Lm457,894 upon being elected in March. But the Mosta council is also owed Lm308,008 by its creditors and ended the year with a meagre surplus of Lm847.

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt