What are local councils and why do they matter? A 2026 expat guide to Malta's local government

Short answer: local councils are Malta's third tier of government — after the national Parliament and the European Parliament — and they are the layer closest to your daily life. There are 68 local councils across Malta and Gozo, each elected by the residents of a locality. They look after roads, cleaning, public spaces, minor permits, community services and local complaints. As an expat, understanding how they work is the fastest way to feel less like a guest and more like a resident.

If you're wondering whether you can vote for these councils in the first place, start with Can expats vote in Malta? and How to register for local elections. This guide focuses on what local councils actually do once you are on the register.

What is a local council, in plain English?

A local council (kunsill lokali) is an elected body that governs a specific town or village — a locality. Malta and Gozo are divided into 68 localities, from large urban centres like Sliema, Birkirkara and Victoria to small localities like Mtarfa or Kerċem. Each has its own council, its own mayor, and its own annual budget provided by the national government.

Local councils were introduced in Malta in 1993, through the Local Councils Act (Chapter 363). Before that, Malta was one of the few European countries with no formal local government at all — everything, from a pothole to a street name, was decided centrally in Valletta.

How the system is organised

Malta's local government has three layers you'll come across as a resident:

Layer	What it is	Elected by
Local council	Governs one locality (town / village)	Residents of that locality (including EU expats on the register)
Regional council	Coordinates several local councils in a region	Indirectly — made up of local councillors
Administrative committees	Sub-locality bodies in a few larger towns (e.g. hamlets)	Residents of the sub-locality

For most expats, the layer that matters day to day is the local council — the one that decides whether your street gets resurfaced, whether the playground gets a new bench, or whether the Christmas lights go up on time.

Who sits on a local council?

• Councillors — elected every five years by the residents of the locality. The number of councillors depends on the locality's population (typically 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13).
• Mayor (sindku) — usually the candidate from the largest party who received the most first-count votes.
• Deputy mayor — appointed by the council from among the councillors.
• Executive Secretary — a professional civil-service role, not elected, who runs the council's administration day to day.

Under EU law, EU citizens resident in Malta can not only vote but also stand as candidates for local council. British nationals are an exception: they can vote and stand as candidates in local council elections in Malta, a right that predates the EU and was not removed by Brexit. Other non-EU nationals cannot currently vote or stand in any Maltese election. In practice, expat councillors are still rare — and that is exactly the gap ExpatVoice is trying to close.

What local councils actually do

The Local Councils Act gives councils a defined set of responsibilities. The most visible ones for a resident are:

Streets, cleaning and public spaces

• Upkeep of minor roads, pavements and street lighting within the locality.
• Street cleaning, waste collection scheduling, and management of local dumping issues.
• Maintenance of squares, playgrounds, gardens and community open spaces.

Community and cultural life

• Local festas, cultural events and heritage promotion.
• Youth, elderly and community initiatives — from summer schools to lunch clubs.
• Twinning and cooperation with other European localities.

Administrative and civic services

• Issuing certain minor permits (e.g. small road-occupancy permits).
• Local consultation on plans and projects affecting the locality.
• Handling residents' complaints and forwarding them to the correct national authority.

What local councils don't do

This is where a lot of frustration comes from — including for expats. Councils are often blamed for things they have no legal power over. Below is a quick guide to who is actually responsible — and for the full directory, see Who to call in Malta.

Issue	Local council?	Who is actually responsible
Potholes on main arterial roads	No	Infrastructure Malta
Building permits and planning	No (consulted only)	Planning Authority
Water and electricity supply	No	Enemalta (electricity, faults 8007 2224) / Water Services Corporation (water, faults 8007 6400). ARMS handles billing only.
Public transport	No	Transport Malta / bus operator
Policing and traffic enforcement	No	Malta Police Force / LESA
Waste separation rules	Partly	Council schedules collection; ministry sets national policy

Understanding this split is what turns a vague complaint into an effective one. If you email a council about a bus that never arrives, they can't help — but if you flag a broken pavement in your street, they can. For the complete list of who handles what in Malta, see Who to call in Malta.

How local councils are funded

Local councils in Malta do not levy their own income tax or property tax. Their budget comes from an annual allocation from the central government, calculated with a formula that considers population, area, road length and other factors. This makes Maltese councils relatively dependent on the national level compared to, say, Italian or German municipalities — which is one reason their scope of action can feel narrow.

Councils publish annual financial statements and are audited. Residents can request access to key documents through the council's Executive Secretary.

Why local councils matter for expats

If you spend even a few years in Malta, the local council is the institution whose decisions you'll feel most directly — before Parliament, before Brussels, before any ministry. Some concrete examples:

• The playground your kids use, and whether it is safe and maintained.
• Whether your street is cleaned once a week or once a month.
• Whether the local festa closes your road at 3am, and whether you were told about it.
• Whether there is a community space for expat-led events, language exchanges or civic meetings.
• Whether the council's official communication is in English as well as Maltese — a real issue in many localities with significant foreign populations.

In many Maltese localities, foreign residents now make up a significant share of the population — a reality that is not yet reflected in council composition or in the language councils communicate in. It is one of the core problems ExpatVoice is working on.

How to engage with your local council

1. Find your locality. It is the town on your Maltese eID address. If you don't know your council's website, search “kunsill lokali <locality>” or check the Local Government Division directory, which lists all local and regional councils' websites.
2. Attend a public council meeting. By law, most council meetings are open to residents. Dates are published on the council's noticeboard and website.
3. Write to the Executive Secretary. This is the fastest, most trackable way to raise an issue. Keep it short, factual, and include your address and eID reference if relevant.
4. Vote. Once you are on the electoral register, you have a real say — see our guide to registering for local elections.
5. Consider standing. EU expats — and British nationals — can stand as candidates. Even a single expat councillor changes the dynamics of a council.

ExpatVoice is building a network of expats who want to engage constructively with their local councils. Join us if that sounds like you.

Key sources

• Chapter 363, Local Councils Act — the primary law establishing and regulating Malta's local councils.
• Ministry for Local Government — sector structure and national policy.
• Local Government Division — directory of all local and regional councils' websites.
• Directive 94/80/EC — EU rules on local voting and candidacy rights for EU citizens resident in another member state.
• Electoral Commission of Malta — official register, election dates and candidacy information.

Frequently asked questions

How many local councils are there in Malta?

68 in total — 54 in Malta and 14 in Gozo. Each corresponds to one locality (town or village).

How often are local council elections held?

Every five years. The last round was held in June 2024. Check electoral.gov.mt for the date of the next local council elections.

Can expats stand as candidates for local council?

Yes — under EU law, EU citizens resident in Malta can stand as candidates in local council elections, not just vote. British nationals are an exception: they can vote and stand as candidates in local council elections in Malta, a right that predates the EU and was not removed by Brexit. Other non-EU nationals cannot currently vote or stand in any Maltese election.

Do local councils in Malta collect their own taxes?

No. Councils are funded through an annual allocation from the central government. They do not levy income tax, property tax or a separate residence tax.

Who do I contact if my street is dirty or a streetlight is broken?

Start with your local council's Executive Secretary. If the issue is on a main arterial road, it may actually be Infrastructure Malta's responsibility — the council can redirect the complaint. See Who to call in Malta for the full directory.

Are council meetings open to the public?

Yes, most council meetings are public. Residents can attend and, in certain agenda points, be invited to speak. Dates are published on the council's noticeboard and website.

Do councils publish information in English?

It varies. Some councils publish notices in both Maltese and English, especially in localities with many foreign residents. Others still publish only in Maltese, which is a real barrier for expats — and one of the issues ExpatVoice is raising.

What is the difference between a local council and a regional council?

A local council governs one locality. Regional councils group several local councils together to coordinate on issues that cross locality borders (e.g. shared waste contracts, regional plans). Regional councillors are not elected directly by residents; they come from the local councils.

Disclaimer: This guide is a plain-English summary for expats and is not legal advice. Rules and responsibilities of local councils can change; always confirm current arrangements with your council or the Ministry for Local Government.