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ANNEXURE B APPOINTING "ADDITIONAL" COUNCILLORS TO SERVE ON SUBCOUNCILS Subcouncils consist of:
This annexure explains how the additional councillors are appointed. HOW MANY ADDITIONAL COUNCILLORS MUST BE ALLOCATED TO EACH SUBCOUNCIL? The total number of councillors (ward plus additional councillors) in each subcouncil must be proportional to the number of registered voters in the subcouncil area, as the total number of councillors in the metropolitan area is proportional to the number of registered voters in that area. For example, if 25% of the total number of registered voters in a metropolitan municipality live in the area of a subcouncil, then that subcouncil may have a number of councillors equalling 25% of the number of councillors in the metropolitan council. The number of additional councillors that must be appointed to a subcouncil is the total number of subcouncil councillors, minus the number of councillors representing wards within that subcouncil. HOW MANY VOTES ARE REQUIRED FOR A PARTY TO BE ALLOCATED A SEAT ON A SUBCOUNCIL? Once the number of "additional" seats on a subcouncil has been calculated, the next step is to calculate the quota. The quota is the number of votes that each party must have to qualify for a seat as one of the additional members of a subcouncil. The quota is determined by adding one to the total number of seats in that subcouncil. This number is then divided into the total number of valid votes cast for parties (both for proportional representation lists and ward candidates affiliated to a political party) in the subcouncil area (in the municipal election). The result of this division, plus one, will be the quota. This calculation would look like this: Quota = (Total number of valid party votes cast in subcouncil area / (Total number of seats in that subcouncil + 1) ) + 1 ALLOCATING SEATS TO PARTIES Once the quota of votes required has been determined, seats can be allocated to parties. This is done by dividing the quota into the total number of valid votes cast for each party on the proportional representation lists in the subcouncil area. The result is the total number of seats to which each party is entitled (excluding fractions). The number of seats a party is entitled to = If a surplus remains after this calculation which is not absorbed by the allocation of seats, then this surplus must compete with similar surpluses of any other parties, and any undistributed seat or seats awarded to parties in the sequence of highest surplus. If the surplus of two or more parties is equal, the speaker of the municipality must determine by lot which party is entitled to the seat. If no party is awarded a seat by doing the initial seat allocation calculation (total number of valid votes divided by the quota of votes), then the votes for each party must be treated as if they were surpluses. DESIGNATING COUNCILLORS TO SERVE ON SUBCOUNCILS Each party must designate its representatives to each subcouncil with regard to the number of seats awarded to it. These representatives must be drawn from the proportional representation lists, taking into account that councillors can only serve on one subcouncil. Parties must fill vacancies as they occur. Introduction | Responsibilities of municipal councils | Delegation of powers and duties | Community participation and accountability | Municipal types | Systems of municipal government | Plenary executive system | Collective executive system | Mayoral executive system | Executive powers, duties and committees | The ward participatory system | The subcouncil participatory system | Combining the systems of government to form municipal types | Applying types to individual municipalities | Conclusion | Annexure A | Annexure B Back to Types Of Municipalities Table of Contents | Back to booklets |
