The Wolfratshausen City Council has changed its rules of procedure.
A major innovation: In future, specialist committees will not be allowed to deliberate publicly.
The Wolfratshausen city council has given itself new rules of procedure.
In the future, specialist committees will not be able to deliberate publicly.
Third Mayor Annette Heinloth (Greens) doesn't like that.
Wolfratshausen -
The revision of the city council's rules of procedure was a difficult birth.
At the beginning of the new term of office at the beginning of this year, the corona pandemic broke out, and the meetings of the citizens' representatives had to be kept to a minimum.
For this reason, the committee decided that the existing regulations would initially continue to apply.
Now, however, the councils have lent a hand, this was preceded by two preliminary meetings between all three mayors and the group chairmen.
What remained disputed, however, was what should be discussed publicly or not.
While the City Council's Freedom of Information Officer, Dr.
Patrick Lechner (FDP), who emphatically advocated “more transparency”, decided the majority that - unlike in the past - specialist committees were allowed to discuss behind closed doors.
In the local election campaign we were all committed to transparency.
We can only take citizens with us if we also inform them. "
Fritz Schnaller, SPD city councilor
The Bavarian municipal code stipulates that the city council and its committees must meet in public.
"As far as there are no considerations for the common good or justified claims of individuals", is to be read in Article 52.
"All topics are to be dealt with publicly," emphasized Fritz Schnaller (SPD) in the most recent city council meeting in the Loisachhalle, the non-public must be justified.
"In the local election campaign we were all committed to transparency," said Schnaller.
"We can only take citizens with us if we also inform them."
Third Mayor Annette Heinloth (Greens) was on the same page.
She insisted on a high degree of transparency in city politics, which served the opinion of the sovereign.
CSU parliamentary group leader: It is an "can determination"
CSU parliamentary group leader Peter Plößl, on the other hand, emphasized that the intended change to the rules of procedure was an “optional” provision.
Dr.
Hans Schmidt (Greens) agreed with him: The preliminary consultation of the specialist committees "could" take place behind closed doors in future, it was "a discretionary decision" of the mayor.
This is not 100 percent true, said Vice City Hall chief Günther Eibl (CSU): The mayor sets the agenda, "but the authority over the decision, public or non-public meeting, rests with the committee".
Ex-town hall chief Helmut Forster (list WOR) added: The mayor has the possibility to “declare an item on the agenda as not public”, the town council in turn can override this decision “with a motion to the management”.
Rules of procedure are published on the city's website
With 16: 8 votes, the city council voted for the new can-do rule.
"This is legally permissible," said the head of the municipal building authority, administrative director Susanne Leonhard.
Mayor Klaus Heilinglechner (BVW) attached importance to the determination that all resolutions will continue to be made publicly.
This corresponds to the municipal code of the Free State of Bavaria.
It also stipulates: "The decisions taken in closed sessions are to be made known to the public as soon as the reasons for the confidentiality no longer apply."
The updated rules of procedure in their entirety were unanimously approved by the city council.
According to Leonhard, it should be published on the city's website as soon as possible.
(cce)
Also read: "Ice Age" in Wolfratshausen - the decision has been made.