gminy

Gminy, in Poland, are the basic units of territorial self-government and form the third level of administrative division, below voivodeships (województwa) and counties (powiaty). They cover a defined area and provide local public services to residents. There are three types of gminy: gmina miejska (urban), gmina wiejska (rural), and gmina miejsko-wiejska (urban-rural).

Each gmina has an elected council (rada gminy) and an executive head. The name of the head depends on the type of gmina: wójt in rural gminy, burmistrz in most urban and urban-rural gminy, and prezydent miasta in larger urban centers. Elections for the council and the executive are held every four years. The gmina seat is usually the main town or village and houses the local government offices.

The responsibilities of a gmina include many elements of local governance: management of primary education and pre-school activities in most cases, local infrastructure such as roads and water supply, waste management, housing and social services, culture and libraries, and the preparation and implementation of local zoning plans and spatial development. Gminy also maintain civil registry offices for births, marriages, and deaths, as well as other local administrative tasks.

Financing comes from local revenues (including property taxes and fees), state subsidies, and, in some cases, borrowings. Gminy may also access funds from national programs and the European Union to support development, infrastructure, and public services.

In the broader state system, gminy cooperate with powiaty and voivodeships to deliver services that cross municipal borders. The 1999 local-government reform redefined and strengthened the role of gminy within this multi-tier framework.