LOCAL STRUCTURES IN CYPRUS
Cyprus is a unitary state composed of communities and municipalities.
Local level: 491 communities and 33 municipalities
Local authorities
There are two different types of local authorities in Cyprus: communities in rural areas and municipalities in urban and touristic areas.
Communities
A community may become a municipality by local referendum provided it has a population of more than 5 000 or has the economic resources to function as a municipality.
The community council is elected by the population of the community for a five-year term. This legislative board is composed of a president, a vice-president and council members, also elected for five years.
The community council president is elected by the population of the community for a five-year term. He chairs the community council.
Municipalities
The municipal council is composed of members who are elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The deliberative assembly sets up different committees within the municipality. These committees include the management committee responsible for the preparation of the budget and other ad-hoc committees that provide assistance in technical, cultural, environmental and personnel issues.
The mayor is the municipality's executive authority and is elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The mayor manages the executive board, represents the municipality externally and before any state authority. He/she also supervises the administration, and chairs the municipal council and the management commission.
Local competences
. Public health
. Urbanism
. Protection of the environment
. Water supply
. Land development
. Household refuse
The voluntary conglomeration of local authorities is under discussion at state level. This measure would notably allow for municipalities and communities to jointly promote various policies, projects and services.
Note
On 22 February 2010, the Minister of the Interior of Cyprus presented a study for the restructuring of local government in Cyprus. An open dialogue has thus ensued for the establishment of district councils, which will constitute the second level of local government. These councils will be in charge of coordinating broader forms of regional development as well as the supervision of services dealt with on a more international scale, such as water supply, sewerage and waste management.
