Community representation

Community representation

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Most meetings take place in the Herzfelde community centre.

Community representation

Nowhere else does people's participation have such a direct influence on political decisions as in a municipality. Local politics is focussed on solving very specific tasks and problems here on the ground. But it doesn't work without active participation. There are many different ways to get involved:

In local elections, the municipal council and the individual local councils in the municipality are newly and directly elected every five years. They primarily elect individuals and not parties. The municipal representatives and local councillors work on an honorary basis. The municipal council is generally responsible for all matters relating to the municipality, unless otherwise regulated by law. The most important of these include monitoring the administration and approving the municipal budget. This means that the members of the municipal council determine how much money the municipality spends in which areas and where it collects money via fees. Involvement in local political parties and groups is therefore an opportunity to get involved - usually without a party membership.

The meetings of the municipal council, the specialised committees and the local advisory councils are open to the public. There you can not only find out about current issues in the municipality, but also ask your own questions and make suggestions or proposals.

What committees are there?

The municipal council consists of 29 members. Every five years, 28 members of the municipal council are elected in local elections. The mayor is also a member of the municipal council. She is elected by direct vote every 8 years.

The most important task is to decide on the municipal budget. However, the municipal council also decides on statutes such as daycare fees, the creation of new building areas or the construction or renovation of paths and roads. The meetings are always open to the public.

The meetings of the municipal council are open to the public. Citizens have the opportunity to ask questions during citizens' question time.

The decisions of the municipal council are prepared in the specialised committees. The meetings of the specialised committees are open to the public. Citizens have the opportunity to ask questions during citizens' question time. The following committees exist in the current electoral period:

Each of our four districts has a local advisory council. They must be consulted on issues affecting the respective neighbourhood. The members of the local councils are elected separately every five years at the local elections. At the beginning of each electoral term, the local advisory council elects a local councillor from among its members. The meetings of the local advisory councils are open to the public. Citizens have the opportunity to ask questions during citizens' question time.

The municipal council has decided to set up three advisory boards. They are intended to ensure that the interests of certain groups are given special consideration. The members of the advisory boards can participate in the specialised committees and must be taken into account in matters that affect them.