The environment ministry has pledged its support in finding a way forward for local councils whose landscaping plans have been thrown into disarray after the Environmental Landscapes Consortium (ELC) informed them of its plans not to renew its contracts. 

"While it appears that ELC's action is tied to the fact that the extension contract expires at the end of this year, the ministry will continue working, also in light of the Auditor General's recommendations, towards issuing a public tend in the coming months," the ministry said in a statement. 

"The government is committed to ensuring that employees' livelihoods are safeguarded under any circumstances."

The ministry said talks with all parties would be held over the coming days and weeks. 

More than half of Malta’s local councils will soon end up without a contractor to landscape their gardens and public areas after consortium ELC informed them of its plans not to renew its contracts. 

This has sent councils into disarray, with many of them scrambling to see how they are going to continue landscaping their localities using the limited budget available. 

The ELC has been operating since 2003 to improve the landscaping and general maintenance of public areas and gardens in the country.

ELC’s public private partnership was due to expire at the end of the year and workers are still in the dark about their future. 

An ELC spokesman told Times of Malta the consortium could no longer afford to continue running the contracts at a loss.