Measuring cost effectiveness of local wardens in Malta

Abstract

Local warden services were introduced in Malta since a year ago. Although these services are new for the Maltese citizens, they have already been in operation in other countries in which wardens carry out various operations such as Conservation wardens, Town and Neighbourhood wardens. The primary aim why the Maltese government introduced the warden scheme is to bring about public order and cleanliness and secondly to continue developing the idea of local self-government according to the European Charter. The Maltese government delegated the authority to all local councils in Malta and Gozo, to implement these services at their localities to bring more discipline at a local level, thereby at a national level. The role of the local warden is to watch out for any individuals who break the law and it is obliged to enforce the Contravention Law, which includes any regulations regarding traffic and litter regulations. However, the local warden services are not considered as financially sustainable, at least by certain councils. The Maltese government wants all the councils to implement these services at their localities, despite of the limited amount of resources available to them. Some local councils are considering to suspend the warden services. Apart the annual budget allocated to local councils, the government docs not give any other financial support to local councils. The scope of this study is to assess the costs related to the local warden services in relation to the benefits enjoyed by the Maltese citizens by using a cost effectiveness approach. It discusses the importance of project analysis and examines the way cost-effectiveness approach is applied to the warden scheme. This study includes analysis of the findings from interviews conducted to a sample of local councils. An overview of alternative methods that can be used to bring about public order is given and then it focuses on cost considerations regarding the local warden scheme. Finally a set of recommendations is made as to how this scheme could be improved