Council Committes

Council Committes

GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

1.Subject to the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 the functions (terms of reference) of the General Purposes Committee shall be:

  1. Human Resources recruitment, training and development and retention issues including conditions of services; and
  2. Formulation of Municipal Standing Orders and Rules; and
  3. Initiate the introduction, amendment and or repeal of, Municipal by-laws, and
  4. To act on and report to the Municipality on any matter referred to it by the Municipality, and
  5. Formation and recommendation of terms of reference to other Municipal committees
  6. Subject to the provisions of parts VIII & IX of the Urban Councils Act, appoint and discharge senior officials (designated posts) of the council.

2.FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Finance and Development Committee shall be responsible for regulating the financial and development affairs of the municipality in accordance with the standing orders and by-laws of the municipality in regard to the following:

  1. Loans
  2. Accounts
  3. Redemption and renewal of funds
  4. Assessment of rates
  5. Drafting and recommendation of estimates of income and expenditure (budgeting)
  6. Municipal insurance
  7. Municipal investments
  8. Pension and provident funds
  9. All matters relating to developmental issues (Commercial and Industrial Development)
  10. Financial Regulations
  11. Tariffs, Fees, rates and others
  12. Grants –In- Aid
  13. Land Sales
  14. Water tariffs
  15. Municipal advertisement
  16. Delegated matters

3.ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND TECHINICAL SERVICES COMMITTTEE

The Committee shall be responsible for all environmental and technical municipal matters as follows:

  1. Parks
  2. Open spaces
  3. Street grass cutting
  4. Tree planting
  5. Garden establishment and maintenance
  6. Control of wood cutting , firewood and vegetation removal
  7. Nature reserves
  8. Refuse removal ( identification and management of infill sites)
  9. Land inspectorate
  10. Garden allotments
  11. Urban Agriculture
  12. Control of pollution
  13. Conversation of natural resources
  14. Solid waste Management
  15. Hazardous substances management
  16. Squatter control
  17. Storm water drainage
  18. Construction and maintenance of road paths and pavement
  19. Traffic regulations
  20. Surveys

4.HEALTH, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE

The Committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to health, housing, liquor undertaking and community services under the following sub-heads:

  1. Health institutions and related matters
  2. Child welfare
  3. Social welfare
  4. Inspection related to public health matters as authorized by enabling laws
  5. Street cleaning
  6. Public sanitation and other amenities
  7. Housing provision and administration and all ancillary matters thereof
  8. Administration and management of the liquor undertaking venture
  9. Education institutions and related matters

5.AUDIT COMMITTEE

The audit committee is established in terms of Section 97 of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 and states, categorically that:

“The Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and the Chairperson of every other committee of council, shall not be a member of, nor be entitled to attend any meeting of the Audit committee”.

“No person, other than the members of the Audit Committee, invited employees or other persons, by the committee itself and or the external auditors of Council shall attend any meeting of the Audit Committee”.

Section 98 of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29: 15 details the Audit Committee’s terms of references (functions) as:

a. To enquire into and report upon the manner in which the finances of the Council , its and human resources are being used;

b. To ascertain whether the funds and assets of the Council are applied to the purpose intended and are consistent with any regulations and standing Orders issued by the minister , as the case may be;

c. To call for information ,explanation , and evidence in respect of any matters in respect of which the auditors have made observations;

d. To receive and consider reports of internal and external auditor and make appropriate recommendations to the council ;

e. To recommend to the council appropriate methods of investments of money, and custody of any other properties of the council.

f. The Audit Committee shall report its proceedings only to the council provided that where the minister requests a report of such committee, the committee shall comply with such requests.