Purpose: To create group coherence in the neighborhood councils [shorayari-ha] as popular and diverse institutions.
Creating group coherence in the neighborhood councils as popular and diverse entities and organizing their interactions, structures, and the proper division of labor between members requires a solution that defines and identifies their method of function and interaction with each other as well as with the council assistance committee [setad-e shorayari]. In addition, creating and defining administrative tasks among council members according to the rules and regulations and more appropriate activities of members will make the neighborhood councils more effective. Therefore, an “internal by-law of the neighborhood council” was prepared and approved by the coordinating committee of the neighborhood councils to serve as a foundation for division of administrative work, description of duties, rotation of tasks, and the manner of interaction between members. This by-law is according to the following:
In this by-law, instead of each of the following terms, the equivalent replacement is used for brevity:
Coordinating and implementing committee of the neighborhood councils: committee.
Members of the neighborhood councils: members.
Article 2. The number of members and the manner of their presence in meetings
Section 1. Neighborhood councils are made up of 7 principle members and 3 reserve members.
Section 2. Meetings of the neighborhood councils are considered official when at least five members are present.
Section 3. Attendance of meetings by reserve members is acceptable but reserve members do not have the right to vote if the required number of principle members are present.
Section 4. In case there is no quorum for an official meeting (attendance by 5 principle members), with the presence of the first reserve member, the meeting is considered official and the reserve member has the right to vote.
Section 5. Decisions of the neighborhood councils are considered official with the vote of half plus one of the present members.
Section 6. The number of monthly meetings of the neighborhood councils depends on the priorities of the neighborhood and the volume of issues and needs as recognized by the members. However, each neighborhood council is required to have at least two official meetings every month.
Clause 1. Considering the participatory nature of the neighborhood councils, it is recommended that the meetings take place with all principle and reserve members present as much as possible, and an environment is provided for benefitting from the views and opinions of all members.
Section 7. In case the unjustified absence of any of the principle members is greater than 4 back-to-back meetings, or 8 total meetings in a two-year period, membership of this individual in the neighborhood councils will be suspended in accordance with the disciplinary by-law.
Article 3. Conditions and mechanisms for electing neighborhood council members.
Section 1. Distribution of responsibilities within the neighborhood councils is intended to create better discipline and coordination and not for the purpose of creating hierarchical structures.
Section 2. Division of labor in the neighborhood councils is according to the following:
In each neighborhood council, according to the votes of the principle members, one of the principle members is elected as director, one member as secretary, and one member as properties and funds manager. The meeting for the election of these officials is considered official only in the presence of all principle members and for the approval of any of these positions, a majority vote (half the members plus one) is required.
Clause 1. The duration of activity of any of these positions is a period of one year and re-election of these officials is possible.
Clause 2. Correspondences and executive actions related to these positions will only take place after confirmation and approval by members of the neighborhood council.
Clause 3. It is necessary that members initiate the process of electing officials for these positions immediately after this by-law is ratified and the meeting notes for these elections be forwarded to the committee. After a period of one year, new elections should be held.
Clause 4. Candidates for director of neighborhood councils must have the necessary qualifications such as sufficient literacy and experience; having enough time to pursue the affairs of the neighborhood council; and the trust of the other members of the council.
1. Managing all correspondences, ordinances, and letters of the council by coordination with the committee; and also forwarding the meeting notes of the neighborhood council, signed by the director with seal of the council, to the committee.
2. Conveying the problems and deficiencies as well as the recommendations of neighborhood council members to the committee.
3. Attendance in meetings and gatherings that, due to necessity, are organized by the committee or other organizations.
4. Organizing the regular presence of one member for each day of the week at the office of the neighborhood council.
5. Follow through on issues and problems of the neighborhood as raised by the neighborhood council members. Membership and cooperation with the council of district directors.
6. Organizing the meeting agendas according to priorities in coordination with other members.
7. Keeping the seal of the neighborhood council and ensuring the legal use of it for the approved correspondences of the neighborhood council, confirmation of some notarized statements by local residents within the framework of the rights and responsibilities of the council.
8. To link and coordinate the affairs of the neighborhood council with the committee.
9. Initiate the creation of expert committees when necessary.
10. Report potential unlawful acts by council members to the committee (confidentially).
1. Determine the agenda for the neighborhood council meetings in coordination with the director and members and reading it at the beginning of the meeting.
2. Record attendance of members.
3. Coordinate the time when meetings are held.
4. Record the discussions of the members and arrange them within the framework of the meeting notes, which include the names of those present, the meeting agenda, guests, petitioners [moda’eyoon], and a summary of decisions and ordinances.
5. Create a personal file for each of the members.
6. Keep documents, letters, and deeds of the neighborhood council; registration and numbering of sent and received letters.
7. Report the names of absentee and tardy members to the director once every two months for reporting to the committee.
1. Registration, protection, and supervision over all possessions, objects, and belongings of the neighborhood council.
2. Receive neighborhood council funds from the city municipality.
3. Pay for council expenditures according to the funds manager by-law.
4. Arrange and present document for council expenditures to the relevant officials according to the funds manager by-law.
5. Identify and introduce local help and resources for meeting the expenditures of the council.
Clause. Candidates for the funds and properties manager position are required to have the necessary experience and expertise in financial affairs and accounting and be organized and responsible.
Article 7. Mode of rotation of duties and correspondences of the neighborhood council
Section 1. The neighborhood councils must have a meetings notebook for registering all discussions and legislated ordinances. The secretary is required to record the topics discussed and attendance of members and to produce meeting notes to be signed by all members present.
Section 2. All letters and correspondences from citizens, organizations, or institutions must be registered and numbered in the neighborhood council correspondence notebook and placed on the agenda.
Section 3. Once all issues from constituent letters and other topics are assigned to the meeting agenda and the opinions of members are solicited, the director will initiate necessary correspondences with the committeein order to follow through with the decisions of the neighborhood council.
Section 4. The director is obliged to present one copy of the meeting agenda plus all letters and correspondences to the neighborhood council committee.
Section 5. Communication between the neighborhood council and the committee will be via the director.
Section 6. The director of the neighborhood council will represent all members of the council at meetings of other organizations and institutions and present a synopsis of the issues that his neighborhood council is dealing with. In addition, he is obliged to report back the results of all discussions and decisions from such meetings to the members of the neighborhood council.
Section 7. Requests from members of the neighborhood council to the neighborhood council committee must be submitted in writing.
Article 8. This by-law includes one preface, 8 articles, 16 sections, and 6 articles and was reviewed and accepted at the meeting of the executive and coordination committee for neighborhood councils, dated 27/11/1382 [2/16/2004]. After approval and submission, its instructions are mandatory.
Members of the executive and coordinationcommittee for neighborhood councils of the Islamic City Council of Tehran.
From:
(http://shorayari.tehran.ir/ پایاننامه /tabid/123/ArticleId/395/.aspx)