How does the city council work?
The municipal council is the highest body in the municipality. Municipal elections are held once every four years. In principle, any resident aged 18 or older can be elected to the municipal council. Political parties draw up a list of candidates from which voters can make a choice. The Opsterland municipal council has 21 members, divided into 9 fractions (political parties). The mayor is the chairman of the council, but has no voting rights. The municipal council is the representation of the people of the municipality.
Setting frameworks and controlling
The main duties of the City Council are to establish the main lines of policy (set frameworks) and to oversee their implementation (control). Every year, in November, for example, the City Council adopts the budget for the following year. In this budget, the City Council makes proposals for new expenditures and/or cuts. In June, the council adopts the annual report and financial statements for the previous year. With these, the council checks whether the college has stayed within the budget, whether the goals have been realized and whether the plans have been properly implemented. Every month there are proposals to discuss, which require a council decision.
Council meeting and council orientation meeting
In principle, the City Council meets twice a month. A distinction is made between an exploratory council meeting and a council meeting. During exploratory council meetings, council decisions are prepared and council members are informed about various topics. During council meetings, council factions debate with each other and decisions are made on the main lines of municipal policy. Both are open to the public and begin at 7:30 p.m. The meetings are broadcast live on the council website and can also be viewed afterwards through the council website. The orientation council meeting is the venue for information exchange and image formation by the council. (Most) council proposals from the college will first be discussed at an orientation council meeting in preparation for decision-making at the council meeting.
Orientation council meeting agenda items usually allow citizens to speak to council members. If you would like to speak to council members about a topic not on the agenda, please contact the clerk. The council's agenda committee will then consider the most appropriate way to share your information with the council. The agenda of a council meeting basically has a fixed format. The meeting starts with a question-and-answer session in which council members can ask questions to the municipal executive. After the decision list from the previous meeting and the documents received and announcements, the so-called discussion items are discussed. These items are accompanied by a proposal and a draft council decision on which the council will debate and then decide. Following the discussion items, any hammer items are dealt with.
You are welcome to attend a council meeting or an orientation council meeting. Agendas are published on the municipal page' of the Sa! and on the website.
Council Registrar
The core task of the council clerk is to assist the council in the performance of its duties. For example, the clerk is responsible for sending out the meeting documents and the minutes of meetings. The clerk also advises individual council members and, when requested, can inform citizens and organizations about the affairs of the council and the opportunities citizens have to make their voices heard.