The people's house? Understand the importance and role of City Councils in monitoring and legislating cities.
The greatest influence of city councils in Brazil comes from Portugal. The country that colonized Brazil already had a model of municipal structure similar to what we know today as the city council. In the Middle Ages in Portugal, cities were managed by groups called “Good Men”, the term expressed that a member of the community (usually towns and villages) owned property and other material assets, that is, they had social relevance.
In Brazil, the first record that we can consider a city council occurred 2 years after the implementation of hereditary captaincies in 1532, in the Captaincy of São Vicente. The place became known as “Câmara Vicentina”.
Today, city councils are present in more than 5,570 Brazilian russia mobile database municipalities and are designed to be a democratic and popular space. If you want to run for city council , or are simply interested in learning more about Brazilian politics, this text may be very interesting, after all, this space is yours!
What is a City Council of Aldermen?
The city council is a public body that houses the legislative power of a municipality.
It is in the council that councilors meet to propose, discuss and vote on laws that concern the city's guidelines, but its importance does not stop there; it is also through the council that the municipal administration is monitored.
Among the functions of the chamber we can highlight:
Legislative
This is perhaps the most popular function. As previously mentioned, laws are proposed and drafted here, which are then taken to the plenary. Plenary meetings are open to the public, and the laws that have been drafted can be discussed among public actors representing civil society, as well as any citizen.
Administrative
A public space where the future of a city and its population is decided needs an organized structure. To achieve this, the city council relies on its administrative body, managing people and (public) resources.
Oversight
Among its most important functions is the responsibility of overseeing the administrative actions of the city hall. To this end, it may request the mayor's accounts, information on administrative activities, summon the mayor or his direct collaborators to provide clarifications on administrative matters or investigation or inquiry committees.