More members than labourers in some councils

Some of the local councils will have more members than the number of labourers to maintain sanitation facilities and cleaning up roads in the council areas.

In most Pradeshiya Sabha areas of the Matara District, the number of labourers is less than the council members.

The Devinuwara PS area will have 21 members, but only 18 labourers to serve the people, while in Akuressa 25 members have been elected to the council which has 24 workers.

Meanwhile, most councils are

trying to rent places to hold meetings as the number of seats has almost doubled -- from 4,486 to about 9,000.

Meanwhile the Colombo Municipal Council is to have its meetings at a BMICH hall, in view of the increase in the number of members. The council has 119 members while the earlier council had 53.

With the increase in the number of members, councils are also to buy new furniture.

Expanded councils are being forced to rent extra accommodation and buy more furniture and equipment for the flood of new members elected at the recent local government elections, and budgets will be stretched to meet increased allowance payments.

The elections paved the way for the appointment of 8,325 council members, nearly double the previous number of 4,486.

Questions are being raised about how councils will meet the increased burden of allowance payments for members.

The former chairman of the Mabola Urban Council, A.H.M. Naushad, said during his tenure a chairman and vice chairman were paid Rs. 35,000 and members were paid Rs. 25,000 as monthly allowances. Additional payments such as, Rs.500 for sitting allowances and Rs. 5000 for telephone bills were also paid.

“After the elections this time, the number of members in the Urban Council has risend from nine to 18 and the cost of spending on members has increased considerably,” Mr. Naushad commented.

Infrastructure problems are bedevilling the new councils. Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner V.K.A. Anura said accommodation in the council – which has grown from 53 to 119 members – is now insufficient.

The Akurana Pradeshiya Sabha, up from 14 to 30 members, has begun expanding the conference hall to accommodate new members, said Secretary T.S. Rajapakse.

The Badulla Pradeshiya Sabha has sufficient space but needs to spend on more office equipment, Secretary H.M.P. Kanthi said.