Samtgemeinde

A Samtgemeinde, or collective municipality, is a form of inter-municipal cooperation used in Germany, most commonly in the state of Lower Saxony. It is a voluntary association of several neighboring municipalities that pool administrative tasks to improve efficiency, while the member municipalities retain their own local councils and mayors for local matters.

The Samtgemeinde has its own governing body, the Samtgemeinderat, elected by residents of the member municipalities. The executive function is held by the Samtgemeindebürgermeister, who is either elected directly or chosen by the council depending on state law. The administrative seat is located in one of the member towns.

Member municipalities transfer to the Samtgemeinde a set of tasks that are more effectively performed jointly. Typical areas include civil registration, planning and building administration, social services such as youth and elderly care, waste management, and various aspects of local infrastructure and administration. Fire protection and cemetery management are often coordinated at the Samtgemeinde level as well. The exact scope of responsibilities is defined by state law and the agreements among the member communities. The municipalities retain autonomy in matters not assigned to the Samtgemeinde and continue to operate their own local councils and mayors for those areas.

Samtgemeinden aim to enhance service quality and reduce costs in rural regions with limited resources. In other German states, comparable structures exist under different names, such as Verbandsgemeinde or Amt.