Assessorati

Assessorati are the organizational units of local or regional government responsible for specific public policy areas. In Italy, assessorati exist at the level of comuni (municipalities), città metropolitane, and, in some cases, provinces or regions. Each assessorato is headed by an assessore (councillor) who is a member of the municipal or regional executive, such as the giunta at the municipal level. Assessors are typically appointed by the sindaco (mayor) or by the president of the province or metropolitan city, and are often drawn from among elected councilors, though some administrations appoint external experts as independent assessors.

The giunta or executive committee comprises the assessors, each responsible for a defined sector and empowered to implement policy within its remit. The assessorate develops proposals and enacts decisions through the relevant administrative offices, manages the budget assigned to its sector, and monitors service delivery. Typical areas covered by assessorati include urban planning and building, public works, culture and tourism, education, social services, health, environment, economy and employment, transport, and housing. The exact allocation of portfolios and the number of assessorati vary according to the municipality’s statute, size, and needs.

In regional and provincial contexts, the term assessorato denotes the analogous department within the regional or provincial government, led by an assessore who sits on the regional or provincial executive. Across levels of government, assessorati function as the administrative units charged with implementing policy, delivering public services, and ensuring accountability within their designated fields, within the framework of applicable laws and governance arrangements.