steraad

Steraad is a Dutch term that generally refers to a council or deliberative body. In the Netherlands and Belgium, it most often denotes the municipal council (in Dutch: gemeenteraad), the elected assembly that represents residents of a municipality and is responsible for setting broad policy and supervising the local government. The historic or regional variant stadsraad is occasionally encountered, but today the standard term for the city or town council is gemeenteraad.

Role and powers

A steraad acts as the象 deliberative sphere of the municipality. Its main tasks include discussing and deciding on local policies, approving the municipal budget and multiannual programs, and exercising oversight over the executive branch, typically the college of burgemeester en wethouders (the mayor and aldermen). The council can request information, summon officials for hearings, and adopt ordinances or regulations within its competence. While it does not run daily administration, it can influence policy, hold the executive to account, and initiate or amend proposals.

Composition and elections

Municipal councils are composed of elected members whose numbers depend on the size of the municipality. Elections are held every few years, with four-year terms in the Netherlands and six-year terms in Belgium, though exact timing may vary by jurisdiction. Members usually form coalitions to establish a governing majority, and the council elects its presiding officer.

Relation to the executive

The steraad delegates day-to-day management to the executive (the college of burgemeester en wethouders) while retaining control and oversight. The mayor chairs the council's meetings, and the council’s consent is required for key decisions and budgets. The system is designed to balance representative input with efficient local administration.

See also

Councils and local government; municipal governance; verordeningen (local regulations).