Local councils will be sharing €161,000 of government funding to carry out restoration works on 75 historic sites or works of art in their localities.

Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils Chris Said said this new scheme would cover part of the cost of the restoration works.

He said a large number of applications had been received, well beyond the budget, so an evaluation board chose to focus on specific projects.

They include work on 46 niches, 15 statues, seven chandeliers, four crosses (known as Slaleb tad-Dejma), an altar, a monument and a 400-year-old painting.

The councils, 14 in Malta and seven in Gozo, were each granted a slice of the budget, according to the project they were proposing, but they will have to top it up with council funds.

Dr Said said councils must carry out the work by the end of the year and would not be entitled to financial assistance in subsequent schemes if the previous year's projects were not completed.

The councils benefitting from the scheme are Valletta, Vittoriosa, Qormi, Attard, Dingli, Fgura, Kirkop, Marsa, Marsascala, Mosta, Rabat, Mtarfa, Pietà, Għargħur, Kerċem, Munxar, Nadur, San Lawrenz, Xagħra, Victoria and Għarb.