Matters Concerning the Mayor and City Council; Information

As a general rule, the municipal council may not interfere in matters falling within the mayor’s jurisdiction, nor may the mayor, as a general rule, interfere in matters falling within the municipal council’s jurisdiction.

The municipal council is generally responsible for all matters that do not fall under the mayor’s authority or have been delegated to a decision-making committee.

The mayor’s responsibilities primarily include day-to-day matters—that is, matters that are not of fundamental importance to the municipality and do not entail significant obligations. In addition, the mayor independently carries out the sovereign tasks delegated to municipalities by a federal law or pursuant to a federal law in matters of defense, including alternative service and the protection of the civilian population —unless the municipal council is responsible for decisions regarding the budget or personnel matters—as well as matters that must be kept confidential in the interest of the security of the Federal Republic or one of its states.

The municipal council may, through its rules of procedure—with certain exceptions—delegate further matters to the mayor for independent handling. Furthermore, the mayor may issue urgent orders and handle matters that cannot be postponed in place of the municipal council or a (decision-making) committee.

Finally, the mayor is responsible for implementing the resolutions of the municipal council or its (decision-making) committees. He also represents the municipality externally; he has the authority to issue legally binding declarations on behalf of the municipality or to receive such declarations.

All in all, the Bavarian Municipal Code contains only general principles regarding the division of responsibilities between the mayor and the municipal council. The exact delineation of responsibilities is generally set forth in the rules of procedure; it may vary from municipality to municipality depending on the municipality’s size, its budget, or local circumstances.

You can inquire with your municipality for further details.