Plateforme Pédagogique - Université Hassiba Ben Bouali de Chlef - Algérie

Political Sciences Department

3^rd year –  LOCAL ADMINISTRATION             Monday, February  17^th, 2025

 

The council is the main representative organ of local government. A council is  an essential part of every unit of local representative government. The role of the council as a representative body varies with the evolution and the mechanics of the processes of local government in each country. The degree to which a local unit has a representative government depends largely on two factors. The one factor is the extent to which the membership of a council represents and is answerable to the public, and the other factor is the extent to which the council has the authority and power to define local policy objectives and to have these objectives implemented (Humes & Martin, 1969:

80-81 ).

 

A unit of local representative government has one or more representative organs with some authority to govern. Almost invariably one of these organs is the council, which offers the opportunity to discuss and give advice on local issues, but also has the responsibility for making decisions authorizing or directing the local staff to perform tasks. The council makes decisions by such acts as passing the budget, enacting ordinances and by-laws and making or approving appointments (Humes & Martin, 1969:82). The council approves and in many cases amends proposals submitted to it, and generally may take the initiative in making proposals. A council with decisive authority may take decisions regarding matters of overall policy objectives or of relatively more minor matters concerning the routine co-ordination of staff (Humes & Martin, 1969: 82).

 

Vocabulary:

Council	المجلس	membership	العضوية
representative body	هيئة تمثيلية	represents	يمثل
mechanics	ميكانيزمات	authority	سلطة/ هيئة
processes	الاجراءات	Implemented	مجسدة
organs	هيئة/ هيكل	authorizing	الترخيص
give advice	تقديم المشورة	Directing	توجيه
perform tasks	أداء المهام	passing the budget	المصادقة على الميزانية
enacting ordinances	المصادقة على الأوامر	approving appointments	المصادقة على المواعيد
decisive authority	سلطة قرار	matters	الشؤون / المسائل
routine co-ordination	التنسيق الاعتيادي