News | Sunday, 14 December 2008

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Sliema council’s crane tariff slammed by government

James Debono
The Sliema local council could find itself refunding building contractors vast amounts of money, because government says its daily €47 tariff on cranes – a deterrent against contractors blocking streets for weeks and months on end – is illegal.
The issue was raised in parliament by Nationalist backbencher Edwin Vassallo, who asked the Prime Minister to investigate the local council for charging developers €46.58 every day to keep a crane on the street, while residents are only levied €2.33 every day.
According to the Prime Minister, if contractors were charged more than the €2.33 established by a legal notice in 2002 they have a “right to be refunded by the council”.
In 2006 the Sliema Council netted €59,000 from its levy on cranes and other permit fees according to its financial returns.
Vassallo, who described the council’s crane tariff as an induced cost on the building industry, is now satisfied. But he made it clear that his intention was not that of making the Sliema council pay a refund to contractors.
“I hope this issue is finally resolved in the forthcoming reform of local councils. My point was to show that councils should not charge more than the fee established by the central government.”
Contacted for her reaction, Sliema mayor Marina Arrigo said that she has to discuss this issue with the council before commenting further on this issue.
But Green party councillor Michael Briguglio accused the government of being insensitive to the everyday realities faced by many Sliema residents, including elderly persons, given that Sliema has an ageing population.
“When works are one-off then it is right that a nominal fee is charged. But when cranes and works become a permanent feature, blocking streets, damaging infrastructure and damaging the quality of life of residents for months if not years on end, as in Sliema, Swieqi and Attard, then harsher deterrents are necessary for developers.”
One particular case denounced by this newspaper in 2006 was a crane next to the Preluna Hotel which was kept installed for three whole years before being removed.

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