The Council’s Roles

• Representative Body of the Citizens

  The Council is comprised of members elected by the citizens. As a representative body of the citizens, it deliberates and decides on important matters for the local government and community.

• Deliberative Body

  The Council has the authority to make final decisions on important matters related to the executive branch of the local government. It deliberates and makes final decisions on overall matters and policies for the relevant region including ordinances and matters that may burden or influence the citizens.

• Legislative Body

  The Council is the legislative body with the authority to oversee functions related to ordinances which are the laws for a local government.

• Auditing Body

  The Council is the auditing body of the local government with the authority to monitor and audit whether the local government is lawfully and reasonably carrying out its administrative work and responsibilities. This role is a supplementary role to the legislative role of the council.

The Council’s Rights

• The Right to Make Decisions
  • The Council is a co-decision-making body with the right to make decisions on important matters of and policies for the local government.
  • The Council’s right to make decisions is based on a limited positive list system and its limitations are prescribed under Article 35, Clause 1 of the Local Autonomy Act.
  • Imposition and collection of fees, alloted charges, local taxes or entrance fees other than those prescribed by statues and ordinances.
  • Establishment and use of funds
  • Acquirement and disposition of important assets
  • Establishment, management and disposition of public facilities
  • Burden sharing for extra-budgetary resources or waiver of a right, other than those prescribed by statutes and ordinances.
  • Acceptance and processing of petitions
• The Right to Administrative Audits and Investigations
  • The right to administrative audits and investigations is given to the Council because the Council is a representative body of the citizens. The Council has the right to conduct administrative audits and investigations, the right to request relevant documents and the right to summon and question the mayor or relevant public officials.
  • Administrative Audits: Carried out in relation to administrative affairs of the local government within 9 days during the regulation session every year (prescribed by an ordinance)
  • Administrative Investigations: Carried out in relation to any specific matters of the administrative affairs of the local government if it is proposed by signatures of more than one-third of the incumbent council members and voted on at a plenary session.
• The Right to Vote

  As the decision-making body of the local government, the Council has the right to carry out elections for the chair, vice-chair, interim chair and chairs of standing committees.

• The Right to Autonomy
  • The Council has the right to organize and operate itself free from control or interferences of the state, legislative authorities or outside organizations.
  • Convocation, opening, adjournment, closing and scheduling of meetings
  • Establishment of rules and policies for meetings and council operations
  • Organization of committees, submission of agendas
  • Elections for chair and vice chair, nonconfidence resolutions
  • Disciplinary actions for council members
• The Right to Process Petitions
  • The Council can accept and process petitions submitted by the citizens but do not accept petitions that contain information which interfere with ongoing trials or violate the laws.
  • The Council transfers petitions to the mayor for processing when necessary.
• The Right to Ask Questions and Request Information
  • The Council has the right to summon the mayor or relevant public officials to hear their opinions and thoughts on administrative affairs, progress and plans of the local government. The Council may ask questions and get answers in written form.
  • The Council may, upon the decision of the general meeting of committees, request the mayor to submit documents related to deliberation of agendas.
• The Right to Express Opinions

  The Council may express its opinions to the executive branch, the central government, other local governments and public/private organizations on matters related to the public interest.

• Council Members’ Roles and Rights
  • Council members are members of the Council which is a representative body of the citizens and are political public officials elected directly by the citizens.
  • Council members have the right to request to call meetings, participate in proceedings, submit agendas, introduce petitions and request disciplinary actions on other members who have insulted them.
  • Local council members do not have the privilege of exemption from liability nor the privilege of exemption from apprehension.