Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej MW Pivot Skin

COUNTY COUNCIL – the decision-making and control body of the county, elected in local-government elections that are universal, equal, direct, and conducted by secret ballot. The term of office is four years, counting from the day of the election. It is a body with general competence, empowered to undertake and execute all matters reserved for the scope of activities of the county. The exclusive competences of the c.c. include the systemic and organisational competences: constituting local law, including the statute of the county, the election and dismissal of the county board (c.b.), determining the remuneration of the starost, appointing and dismissing the secretary and treasurer of the county, deciding on the directions of the activities of the c.b. and reviewing reports on its activities, including financial activities; the right to appoint permanent and ad hoc committees as well as to determine the subject of the activity and the composition of their membership, adoption of the organisational regulations of the county district office. In addition, the county council’s competencies include: economic and property, including the adoption of resolutions in the district property matters beyond the scope of ordinary management; financial competences, including the adoption of the budget of the county, reviewing the report on the implementation of the budget and adoption of a resolution on granting or not granting the vote of acceptance for the board; administrative competences, including – adoption of resolutions on the acceptance of government administration tasks and on the delegation of public tasks; in the scope of foreign cooperation, including the adoption of resolutions in matters of cooperation with local communities from other countries and accession to international associations of local communities; local order, including the adoption of resolutions on the county coat of arms and county flags; control and supervision, including control of the activity of the c.b. and its subordinate units, supervising the activities of the c.b. The c.c. adopts resolutions concerning: the amount of taxes and fees within the limits set by statutory regulations; the rules of granting scholarships for pupils and students; the county programme for crime prevention and protection of citizens’ safety and public order; the county unemployment prevention programme and the activation of the local labour market. The council’s work is led by a chairman elected from among the councillors, with the help of one to two deputies. Meetings of the c.c. are convened by the chairman on his own initiative, at least once a quarter. Extraordinary meetings may be requested by the c.b., starost or a group of at least 1/4 of the statutory council members. The councillors work in the plenary sessions of the council and in the subject committees (→ decision-making and control body of local government) [ J. Wojnicki ].

Literature: B. Dolnicki, Samorząd terytorialny [Local government], Warszawa 2016 ■ E. Nowacka, Polski samorząd terytorialny [Polish local government] Warszawa 2005 ■ P. Sarnecki, Samorząd terytorialny: zasady ustrojowe i praktyka [Local government: systemic principles and practice], Warszawa 2005.