Contents

You and your Local Government

Opening hours

How to contact us

Data protection

Our services

Our commitment

How you can help us

Your views

If you are not satisfied with our service

Learning from you!

The Santa Venera Local Council is made up of seven councillors including the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor who are elected every three years to represent your interests. Our Local Council is responsible for a wide range of services for the local community. Most people use one council service or another, and for this reason we want to provide the best services we can to residents in a responsive, effective and accessible manner to all. This charter tells you about these services, the standards you can expect from us and how to contact us to request a service or if you have a comment or complaint to make.

We are open in Winter from Monday to Friday during the following hours:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday from: 7.30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday from: 7.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.

From 1^st July to the end of September from: 7.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

However, we are closed on public holidays.

You can contact us by:

• coming personally or writing to the:

Santa Venera Local Council

Kumpless Umberto Calosso

Triq il-Kbira San Guzepp

Santa Venera HMR18

• phoning us on: 2122 6600

• sending us a fax on: 2122 6677

• sending us an e-mail on: santavenera.lc@gov.mt

• accessing the website on: www.stveneralc.gov.mt

When you visit our office we will:

• serve you within 15 minutes

• deal with you in a clean and welcoming office environment

When you phone us you can expect us to:

• answer promptly

• identify ourselves

When you write to us you can expect us to:

• acknowledge your correspondence within 1 working day of receipt

• send an initial reply within 5 working days of receipt

• send a final reply to more complex correspondence within 10 working days of initial reply or from when a decision has been reached by the Council, according to the case.

When you send us an e-mail, you can expect us to:

• send an immediate acknowledgement

• send an initial reply within 2 working days of acknowledgement

• send a final reply to more complex correspondence within 5 working days of initial reply or from when a decision has been reached by the Council, according to the case.

When you request an appointment, you can expect us to give you an appointment straight away.

In providing information we will:

• give you the most accurate, up-to-date information available to us.

Personal information provided is protected and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2001.

Services offered to the residents by the Local Council:

The Local Council is responsible for the sweeping and cleansing of roads and pavements within its locality. Private sites and arterial roads do not fall under the responsibility of the Local Council.

We will:

• sweep and clean every road, at least twice a week.

The Local Council makes infrastructural works, such as the maintenance of already existing pavements and roads, not being privately owned.

We will:

• carry out the necessary maintenance work within one month.

The Local Council is responsible for the erection of traffic signs and the painting of road markings according to national and international standards. These signs and markings have to be approved by the Traffic Management Directorate before the Local Council can effect any changes or take any action on them.

We will recommend the Traffic Directorate to:

• according to the case, erect traffic lights after consulting with citizens of the area concerned.

The Local Council is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of playing fields, public gardens and soft areas.

We will:

• ensure that these places are accessible to disabled persons, including those with wheelchairs

• carry out the necessary maintenance work within one month from when the complaint has been received at the Local Council.

The Local Council is responsible for the cleaning, upkeep and maintenance of public toilet. The public toilet is situated in St Joseph High Road.

We will:

• regularly monitor this public toilet which is open daily between 7.00am and 7.00pm.

• clean and maintain properly and regularly this public toilet.

The Local Council is responsible for the emptying of rubbish bins, doggie bins and any other container used for this purpose and fixed in public places such as playing fields, public gardens and pavements.

We will:

• empty these bins twice a week.

The Local Council is responsible for the domestic collection of refuse from all households in the locality.

We will:

• collect refuse from all households six days a week, that is, from Monday to Friday after 7.00 p.m. and on Saturdays after 2.00 p.m. (excluding public holidays).

Santa Venera Local Council organises educational campaigns to educate the residents how to separate waste and provides information and materials necessary. In this way the Local Council makes sure that waste is separated correctly.

Bulky refuse consists of general bulky waste from private houses or residential homes which cannot be collected by the household and commercial waste collection service due to the size of the items, but excluding industrial waste (waste resulting from any industrial process); agricultural waste and waste resulting from building or construction works.

What you should do:

Please phone during office hours on telephone number 2122 6600.

We will:

• collect bulky refuse, twice a week, that is, on Wednesdays and Fridays between 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.

• offer this service free of charge to all Santa Venera residents

• residents can make use of this service once a month and only two items are collected each time.

The Local Council has full responsibility in the assignment of new street names and renaming of existing streets in its locality. Every proposal made by the Local Council is passed on to the Street-Naming Committee within the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs and if approved, these street names are published in the Government Gazette.

The Local Council is carrying out resurfacing work on roads where the Water Services Corporation has carried out trenching work.

We will:

• resurface roads within one month from when trenching work was carried out.

The Local Council is responsible for the maintenance of bus shelters in the locality.

We will:

• ensure that bus shelters are kept clean and lit properly.

The majority of street lamps are nowadays the responsibility of the Local Council. As such we will:

• change street lamps under our responsibility within five working days from when a report has been made

• other street lamps, amongst which lamp posts, are the responsibility of Enemalta Corporation Telephone number 21224600.

The Local Council has the responsibility of pruning the trees in those roads which fall under the responsibility of the same Local Council. Those trees which are located in arterial roads are pruned by the Central Government and not by the Local Council. Trees located in private sites are not the responsibility of the Local Council.

Santa Venera Local Council takes those initiatives which contribute towards the protection of the environment and local heritage.

We will:

• organize campaigns amongst the residents for cleanliness and encourage them to take part in local and national activities in favour of the environment

• encourage residents to decorate their house facades with plants and flowers and the planting of trees and plants in streets and squares

• given attention to air pollution.

Local enforcement is carried out daily by means of Police and Local Wardens.

We will:

• besides the service provided by the police, hire the services of Local wardens to patrol streets daily.

The Local Council is also responsible for the issue of permits of the following activities or items.

According to the activity, the Local Council will issue the necessary permit and as such you are requested to provide the necessary information when this is requested.

Applicant must:

• provide name and surname of the skip owner

• the address (siteplan) where it is to be placed

• pay a fee of €1.16 daily for every skip.

We will:

• issue permit on the same working day of request

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must:

• provide name and surname of kiosk owner

• supply type and size of kiosk and items to be on sale

• the address (siteplan) where it is to be placed

• pay a fee of €23.29 every three days for every kiosk, paid two days beforehand.

We will:

• issue permit on the same day the request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must:

• provide personal name and surname of organisation/club details who are going to provide chairs and tables

• supply a site plan indicating site to be used

• pay a fee of €1.16  per square metre and €1.16 daily paid two days beforehand.

We will:

• issue permit on the same day the request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must:

• provide name, surname and personal address

• provide a siteplan indicating area where work is to be carried out

• provide details of owner of the crane or any other machinery to be used and registration number. These are to be supplied one day before work is to be carried out

• pay a fee of €2.33  daily

• inform Local Council if road needs to be closed so that the necessary arrangements for the services of a warden are provided. In this case, the request has to be made two days beforehand.

We will:

• provide the services of a warden against a payment of €7.92 per hour (minimum of two hours) made payable two days beforehand

• issue permit on the same day the request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must provide:

• name, surname and personal address

• a description of the material or objects (including quality and quantity/volume) and a site plan indicating where these are to be placed.  These are to be presented a day before

• pay a fee of €1.16 daily

• clean the area to its original state before material was placed and in case of damage to road surface or pavement this has to be paid for.

We will:

• issue permit on the same day the request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must provide:

• name, surname and personal address

• a siteplan where these machines are to be placed

• photographs and size of machines

• copies of permits including those from MEPA, the Police and a list of things to be on sale from these machines

• a payment of €0.23c daily if machines are to be placed permanently at the place indicated and €0.58c  daily if machines are to be placed temporarily at the place indicated.

We will:

• issue permit on the same day the request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

Applicant must:

• inform Local Council what type of activity is to be held one month beforehand

• pay a fee of €2.33 to €6.99 daily according to the type of activity.

We will:

• issue permit within two working days from when request is made

• issue a receipt of payment made.

The Local Council took the initiative and introduced a voluntary neighbourhood watch scheme in the locality of Santa Venera. The Local Council provides the information necessary to its residents (by means of meetings and publications) on what they have to do when they notice something wrong in the street or neighbourhood, how to react and how they have to pass on the information to the police.

The Local Council provides support services to victims of crime. This Group serves to provide counselling to victims and gives information about the causes and effects of criminality among the local community.

The Santa Venera Local Council celebrates Jum Santa Venera on the 14^th November of each year with various cultural, social, educational and sport activities.

We will:

• announce early the activities to be held so that the residents can participate.

The Local Council encourages the active participation of all its residents in sport activities. As such, the Council organises various activities for children and youths. Competitive games are organised as well.

We will:

• organise annual sport activities catering for children and adults

• hold games and present tokens to the competitiors.

The Local Council organises a number of various courses and talks for the benefit of its residents, both as regards adults and children. These activities vary between educational sessions, handcrafts and talks on diverse subjects mostly aimed towards an adult audience.

We will:

• organise annual courses and training catering for children and adults

• inform residents beforehand through press releases, posters and flyers, our noticeboards and in the newsletter about courses and training to be held

• ask a payment for these courses and training which will be reasonable for all and subject to our bye-law

• inform you beforehand whether course is to start or not and if not refund the money back within five working days.

The Local Council regularly organises outings for elderly people, adults and children. These outings are mostly cultural and recreational and we visit various places of interest scattered all over the Maltese Islands.

We will:

• organise outings for the family

• inform residents beforehand through press releases, posters, flyers, our noticeboards, and in the newsletter about outings to be held

• check whether admission fees to these places is free or according to the fee of that particular place

• give information to those present about the place to be visited

• inform you in case the outing is cancelled one week before date when outing is due to be held

• ask for a reasonable price for these outings, as outlined in the bye-laws.

The Local Council is responsible for the Library in the locality. A sum of money is allocated each year so that more books can be bought for the use of the many residents (both young and adults) who frequent it. The Library is open on Monday and Wednesday from 12.00 noon till 2.00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00 a.m. till 12.00 noon.

We will:

• ensure that days and opening hours are kept according to schedule

• provide a wide and varied selection of books which are published both locally and abroad.

The Ministry for Health, Elderly and Community Care in collaboration with Santa Venera Local Council is committed to open this Day Care Centre from Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. for those elderly persons who applied and have been accepted.

We will:

• provide transport facilities once a week for those who really need the service to attend the Day Care Centre

• together with the Ministry for Health, Elderly and Community Care organise activities and hold various services for those who attend.

The Local Council office is equipped with two computers for use by the residents and the general public. Persons of varying ages can make use of the services free of charge offered through the internet, especially those offered by Central Government.

How to make use of the Local Council’s Internet Centre:

• one has to go during opening hours to the Local Council office

• if computers are already in use, one can fix an appointment for another day or time.

We will:

• maintain and update computers

• ensure that days and opening hours are kept according to schedule.

The Local Council assists citizens by providing, where applicable information relating to the rights of citizens in general, including information on consumers’ rights, transport, communications, tourist facilities, taxation, social security, public health and other matters of public utility and interest.

We will:

• publish and distribute to every household the periodical Akwidott every four months and the Direttorju/Djarju every year

• provide the services of a website and information stands

• from time to time publish and distribute in households leaflets about various topics.

The Local Council is responsible for the distribution of the Kartanzjan card within the locality. Our elderly residents are kindly requested to refer any queries to the Local Council.

We will:

• inform 60+ and 75+ residents that their Kartanzjan is ready and can be collected during office hours

Trading licences may be renewed at the Local Council’s office daily till noon and on Wednesdays till 3.00 p.m.

The renewal notice is to be presented to effect payment. Payment can be done in cash or by cheques, made payable to the Trading Licensing Unit.

Contraventions given both by local wardens and police officers can be paid and are accepted at the Local Council’s office daily till noon and on Wednesdays till 3.00 p.m. Payments can be done in cash or by cheque made payable to the Council where contravention has been made.

Payments are accepted at the Local Council’s office daily till noon and on Wednesday till 3.00 p.m. Payment can be done in cash or by cheque made payable to the Lands Department.

Payments are accepted at the Local Council’s office, on Wednesdays and Fridays till 3.00 p.m. Payments can be done in cash or by cheque made payable to Maltacom plc.

Apart from opening its offices daily for the benefit of the residents, nowadays the local council is equipped with a computerised system so that complaints and suggestions can be dealt with in a more efficient way. In this way residents can view their complaints and suggestions from the comfort of their home while knowing that action is being carried out from results seen on the system www.servizz.gov.mt

We will:

• register the complaint or suggestion received

• verify nature of complaint or suggestion

• refer complaint or suggestion to the concerned authorities

• send feedback to resident regarding complaint or suggestion.

Providing quality services are an important way of achieving our goals.

In providing you with our services we will:

• be open, honest and treat you with respect

• provide you with prompt, accurate and courteous service

• treat you with dignity, equality and fairness

• constantly evaluate and seek to improve performance

• maintain full confidentiality on all your information

• keep you informed of any developments

• deal with complaints promptly and efficiently

• ensure that all communications carry a contact name, telephone number and e-mail address

• inform you if there is going to be a delay in providing you with the service or information requested.

You can help us to give you a better service by:

• treating us with courtesy and respect

• giving us the correct name and surname, address and telephone number of who is making the complaint and also present the Identity card

• explaining clearly and briefly the nature of your complaint

• giving us the exact location of the fault or problem about which you are complaining

• providing us with all the relevant information or documents when these are needed

We consult and involve the local residents as much as possible. This way, you are able to have a say in decisions that affect your everyday life. This helps us to provide better and more responsive services and gain a better understanding of what the local residents want. We consult and involve you in:

• surveys

• reviewing our Quality Service Charter regularly

• report the progress that the Local Council carries out through its publications namely l-Akwidott (published every four months) and d-Direttorju Djarju (published every year)

• feedback forms which we receive

• the complaints system through the servizz.gov

• the Annual Locality Meeting, where residents of the Santa Venera locality are invited to attend and can pass on any complaints, suggestions and opinions directly to the Council Members.

We aim to deliver value for money service to the public at all times. However, if things go wrong, we need to know about them in order to continually improve our services.

Your complaint is an opportunity to help us put things right. Therefore, if you think that we have failed to maintain our delivery standards for these services and you want to lodge a complaint, you may write to the Mayor at the following address:

The Mayor

Santa Venera Local Council

Kumpless Umberto Calosso

Triq il-Kbira San Guzepp,

Santa Venera HMR 18

You will receive an acknowledgement within two working days of receipt and a full answer within ten working days of acknowledgement.

We continuously strive to provide a service that meets your needs and we welcome any comments and suggestions for service improvement. Kindly give us your comments and suggestions by filling in the Feedback Form attached as backcover to this booklet and leaving it in the suggestion box that we have made available at our reception or sending it by post.

You can also lodge a complaint, make a suggestion or ask a question by accessing the Customer Care System at www.servizz.gov.mt

All information is correct at time of going to print. More information can be found on the Charter Support Unit website and on the Santa Venera Local Council website.

September 2004