Municipalities: council, aldermen and mayor

Who does what in the municipality?

The council adopts municipal regulations and the budget, among other things. The executive prepares policy and implements decisions. Each alderman has a portfolio. The mayor chairs both the council and the executive, but is not a councillor and does not vote in the council. The mayor also has individual duties, including public order and safety.

From municipality to position and person

Open Municipalities and select the area you are researching. Choose Municipal council to view the representative body, or the executive to explore day-to-day governance. Then open an available entry. Read the position title, source and any notes about missing or conflicting information.

You can also search the people register by name, position, party or municipality. When several results appear, always check which position and area each one concerns. The same person can appear in several places in the register.

Preparing a council meeting

For a new topic, use the map as an overview of roles. Read it alongside the local meeting agenda and documents from the council’s information system. Record which administrative body makes a decision, which portfolio holder explains the proposal and which earlier decisions are relevant. This creates verifiable preparation for a councillor, council clerk’s office employee or policy adviser.

You still need the municipal dossier for the current schedule and the full text of a proposal. The map can help you decide where to look next and which institutional relationship to explain in a memo.

Comparing municipal data

Each municipality shows which positions are included in the register and where data is still missing. Municipal boundaries, election results and population figures may relate to different years. When comparing them, check both the year and the territorial divisions, especially if a municipality has been reorganised. Include the source data in your council document.