Speaking to Zodiak on Wednesday, Hestings Dowe, Director of Administration at Blantyre District Council say councils should formulate their own standard procedures of operation that will suit their budgets so that staff is retained and improve council operating system.

"For example, Human Resource Officers and Heads of Departments should be able to negotiate with their direct or indirect employees on Terms and Conditions of Service basing on a formula that is workable in that particular district basing on its revenue collection muscle," he said.

Dowe added that, councils should operate under laid down legal instruments, besides their own, to avoid lawsuits resulting from unfair dismissals and other work related issues like staff strikes due to wage wrangles.

"It's important to look into the Malawi public service regulation commission act, employment act and public service act, when recruiting staff in local councils to avoid legal actions as they act as defense", He included Dowe.

In her remarks, Neno District Council Chief Administration Officer Rotina Mlombwa commended LGAP for the orientation.

"We are facing a challenge since there is no written document on Terms and Conditions of Service and there is a huge vacancy rate at our Neno district council which is resulting in people working in delegated capacity that compromise efficiency as their terms and conditions of Service are not clear", she said.

Neno District Council under Public Service Reforms is expected to come up with a legal paper on Terms and Conditions of Service of it’s staff by Friday with the knowledge impacted by the LGAP team.

The document is also expected to improve devolving of powers at council level under the decentralization program according to human resource officer Alick Milanzi.