Politics & Organisation
How does the Municipality work?
Town Council
The Town Council is the most important entity in the municipality. Legally it is the head of the municipality. In Wassenaar the town council (or city council) consists of 21 members. The town council is involved in municipal decision and policy making, which plans are carried out and in which projects to invest.
The Town Council sets a frame for local policy, represents the citizens and checks the mayor and aldermen as well as the Municipal Executive.
Every inhabitant of Wassenaar who is entitled to the vote - this includes foreign nationals who have lived in the Netherlands for 5 or more years - can do so in the election which takes place every four years and thus help determine who will participate in the Town Council. Furthermore the Town Council has right:
- of initiative and amendment
- to approve or disapprove an estimate
- to ask questions to the Municipal Executive
- to investigate the Municipal Executive
- to have support from the municipal organisation
Municipal Executive
In Wassenaar four councilmen together with the mayor constitute the executive committee. The Town clerk is their most important advisor.
The mayor is appointed by the Queen.
The executive board, i.e. mayor and aldermen of Wassenaar appoint the town clerk. The town clerk is the general director of the municipality and is the highest ranking civil servant of the Municipality.The Town Council and the Municipal Executive determine the policy of the municipality. The preliminary and executive work is done by civil servants.
The Municipal executive and the town clerk meet every week. The Mayor is chairman.