Filenews 17 June 2025 - by Vasos Vasiliou
The 93 deputy mayors of the 20 new municipalities will no longer have a rudimentary role, as with an amendment to the legislation promoted by the Ministry of the Interior, they acquire some responsibilities that concern cleanliness, the good condition of the infrastructure, the parks, the green spaces, the road network and the sidewalks. In addition, with the authorization of the mayor, they will sign certificates, certificates and other administrative documents issued by the municipal services that operate in their municipal district.
However, at first glance it seems that they will not have executive power so that they can give instructions to the municipal staff to perform some tasks. Simply, in case they find any problem in the areas of cleanliness, and the good condition of the municipality's infrastructure, parks, green spaces, road network and sidewalks, they will inform the competent municipal service for the purposes of taking the appropriate actions.
The most basic change concerns the fact that the role of deputy mayors in some issues concerning the municipal districts in which they have been elected will not be left to the mayor and his goodwill, but will be regulated by law. Specifically, while Article 63 (2) stated that "the deputy mayors, without affecting the powers of the mayor, who is in charge of the municipal services, shall exercise the local responsibilities delegated to them by decision of the mayor, with regard to the municipal district in which they were elected", the promoted regulation states that: "The deputy mayors, without affecting the powers of the mayor, who is in charge of the services of the Municipality, exercise the local responsibilities with regard to the municipal district in which they were elected". In other words, it is provided by law that deputy mayors do not exercise the local responsibilities that are transferred to them by decision of the mayor, but whether the mayor wants to or not, "the deputy mayors exercise the local responsibilities with regard to the municipal district in which they were elected".
This, obviously, is done so that the deputy mayors are not involved at the feet of the mayor, who is responsible for deciding "who does what" and which area has priority in the execution of works. What the mayors sought and are striving for, was and is not to observe the phenomenon of each deputy mayor giving instructions for the execution of works in his own municipal district in order to satisfy voters, friends, best men and so on, at a time when the problems in another municipal district are more urgent and their solution needs to be prioritized.
The responsibilities of the deputy mayors include the following:
63. (1) The mayor shall be assisted in the performance of his duties by the deputy mayors of each municipal district of the municipality, who shall at the same time preside over the municipal committee of the district from which each of them has emerged.
(2) The Deputy Mayors, without affecting the powers of the Mayor, who is in charge of the municipal services, shall exercise the local responsibilities in relation to the municipal district in which they were elected, which are:
(a) Supervising issues of cleanliness and good condition of infrastructure, parks, green spaces, road network, sidewalks and informing the municipal service, for the purposes of taking divine actions.
(b) Participation in meetings convened by the mayor, during which issues of the relevant municipal district are discussed.
(c) The information in relation to the correspondence concerning the relevant municipal district.
(d) The signing, with the authorization of the mayor, of certificates, certificates and other administrative documents issued by the municipal services operating in their municipal district.
(e) Cooperation with the councillors of the relevant municipal district for the resolution of local problems, within the framework of the committee of their municipal district.
(f) Supervision for the registration of the road network.
(g) Participation in the Management Committee.
(h) The representation of the municipality by order of the mayor.
(i) Participation in the meetings of all municipal committees, when issues of the relevant municipal district are discussed, in which they will have the right to vote.
(j) The supervision of issues that fall under the field of social welfare and social cohesion.
It is understood that the exercise of any other competence that may be delegated to them by decision of the Mayor may be added to the responsibilities of Deputy Mayors.
