The government in Tonga is making plans for a town council in the country's capital, Nuku'alofa.
The plan is in its early stages with the government looking for consultants to help set up a legal framework for establishing the council.
The deputy secretary for the Prime Minister's office, Susana Faletau, says the council is part of the government's national plan for the facilitation of community development.
"At the same time, government also has experienced, the whole of Tonga has experienced the riot of 16/11 which occurred in 2006 and we do have to build up the Nuku'alofa area. So we're looking at merging this new town council with our primary objective under our new national plan to facilitate community development."
Susana Faletau says the Nukualofa town council is intended as a pilot programme, with the hope that town councils will eventually be set up throughout Tonga.
