Cabinet has approved the action plan for Municipal Council Elections tabled by the Minister for Local Government.
On 31st January 2023, Cabinet endorsed the formation of a Working Group to oversee the work of planning council elections.
Cabinet required the Action Plan to be submitted to Cabinet for consideration once the Working Group had formulated the Plan.
The Working Group appointed three operational groups to undertake the review of the legislation – Local Government Act 1972 and formulate recommendations; Logistics related to elections; preparation of Regulations, Code of Conduct, Guidelines, Policies and Standard Operating Procedures required for the conduct of municipal elections.
The Working Group then held extensive public consultations across 13 municipalities before it formulated the Action Plan.
The Action Plan includes necessary legislative and policy considerations for the conduct of Municipal Council Elections.
The last Municipal Council Election was held around the country in 2005.
Noting that it has been 18 years since the last election, the inconsistencies between the Local Government Act and the Electoral Act will need to be addressed first.
