Background

The Madjarovo Municipal Council consists of 11 people. The following 4 Standing Committees are created to support it:
Committee on Economic Development of the Municipality, which covers the spheres of industry, agriculture, construction, transport, municipal property, privatization, legality and services
Committee on Budget and Finance
Committee on Healthcare, Environment and Social Welfare
Committee on Education, Culture, Sports and Tourism

These Committees possess initiating, advisory and controlling functions, assess the needs of the population in the given sphere and suggest solutions for the problems.

Practice

To improve the work-efficiency of the Standing Committees and to invoke higher involvement of the population in discussing problems of community importance, the Municipal Council in Madjarovo decided to involve in the Committees specialists who are not municipal councilors. The total number of these specialists should not exceed one third of the total number of the Committee members. At the same time the Standing Committees can also involve in their work external experts and consultants. Each Committee is managed by a Chairperson and a Secretary. Only members of the Municipal Council can be elected in the Committee s managing body.

The Standing Committees have sessions and take decisions when more than half of their members are present. The decisions are taken by an ordinary majority of the members present in an open vote.

It is usual for the Standing Committees in Madjarovo to have a joint session when an especially important issue is being discussed. In such case, the joint session is chaired by one of the Chairpersons, negotiated between the Committees, and in the end each of the Committees takes their independent decision on the issue discussed. If these decisions differ, each Committee reports before the Municipal Council.

Another characteristic feature of the Madjarovo Municipal Council is that all councilors and experts involved in the Committees work for free.

According to the Municipal Councils Performance Regulation for the 1999-2003 mandate the municipal councilor should receive his/her full wage for the time he/she is attending the sessions of the Council or the Standing Committee. The employer should be reimbursed by the municipal budget (Local Government and Local Administration Act, Article 34).

In the last several years no claims for reimbursing employers have been submitted to the Madjarovo Municipality, which is a proof for the high public profile and the authority of the Municipal Council, as well as for the desire of the public to be involved in solving the local problems.

Results

The performance of the Municipal Council is improved by attracting experts in solving specific problems;
An opportunity is provided for competent citizens to participate in the decision-making process;
The Municipal Council acquired confidence for solving complex problems;
The local government has gained wide public support and is already trusted by the citizens of Madjarovo Municipality.