A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or national level are not considered councils. At such levels, there may be no separate executive branch, and the council may effectively represent the entire government. A board of directors might also be denoted as a council.[citation needed]
A committee might also be denoted as a council, though a committee is generally a subordinate body composed of members of a larger body, while a council may not be.[citation needed] Because many schools have a student council, the council is the form of governance with which many people are likely to have their first experience as electors or participants.
A member of a council may be referred to as a councillor or councilperson, or by the gender-specific titles of councilman and councilwoman.
In politics
Notable examples of types of councils encountered in politics include:
- Borough council, a form of local government
- Catholic ecumenical councils, ecclesiastical gatherings for ordering the Catholic Church.
- City council, a form of local government.
- Community council, the most local official representative body in Scotland and in Wales.
- Council of Europe, a political, intergovernmental organization with 47 member countries.
- Council of the European Union, the upper house of the European Union.
- Council of state, an organ of government in many states.
- County council, a council that governs a county in the British Isles.
- District council, a unit of government in various jurisdictions.
- Ecumenical council, pan-Christian discussion bodies.
- European Council, the body of heads of states or of governments of the European Union.
- Labour council, an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area.
- Municipal council, a form of local government.
- National security council, an executive-branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues.
- Parish council (England), a form of local government in part of the United Kingdom.
- Privy council, a body that advises the head of state of a country.
- Provincial council, a governing body for a province.
- Regional council, a local-government body in various countries.
- , an entity of local government in Australia.
- Shura Council, the formerly upper house of the Egyptian parliament.
- Town council, a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or parishes
- Tribal council, First Nations' and Native American Nations' governing bodies
- Research Councils UK, government agencies responsible for an area of research in the United Kingdom
- United Nations Security Council, a decision-making body at the United Nations
- Vatican Council, a high-level policy-council of the Roman Catholic Church
- Village council (State of Palestine), a local-government body in Palestine
- Workers' council, a council composed of working-class or proletarian members.
In other fields
Types of councils encountered in other spheres include:
- Arts council: a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts.
- Bar council: a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the Inns of Court.
- Buddhist councils: important historical events in the history of Buddhism.
- Council (Boy Scouts): a non-profit private corporation within Boy Scouts of America.
- Ecumenical council: a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice.
- Military council:
- Student council: a student organization present in many elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities.
- Synod: in a Christian church.
- University Council: running a university.
- War Council: discussions pertaining to a declaration of war, or tactics and strategy of a coming battle.
- Works council: a body representing the workers of a plant, factory, etc., elected to negotiate with the management about working conditions, wages, etc.
- Youth council: an example of youth voice engaged in youth-led decision-making.
References
- "Council Definition".
See also
- Consul
- Legislative Council
- Pontifical Council
- Local government in Australia
- United Nations Security Council
- Directorial system: a form is government where a group of people act as the head of State and/or Government.
A council is a group of people who come together to consult deliberate or make decisions A council may function as a legislature especially at a town city or county shire level but most legislative bodies at the state provincial or national level are not considered councils At such levels there may be no separate executive branch and the council may effectively represent the entire government A board of directors might also be denoted as a council citation needed Greater London Authority Chamber A committee might also be denoted as a council though a committee is generally a subordinate body composed of members of a larger body while a council may not be citation needed Because many schools have a student council the council is the form of governance with which many people are likely to have their first experience as electors or participants A member of a council may be referred to as a councillor or councilperson or by the gender specific titles of councilman and councilwoman In politicsNotable examples of types of councils encountered in politics include Borough council a form of local government Catholic ecumenical councils ecclesiastical gatherings for ordering the Catholic Church City council a form of local government Community council the most local official representative body in Scotland and in Wales Council of Europe a political intergovernmental organization with 47 member countries Council of the European Union the upper house of the European Union Council of state an organ of government in many states County council a council that governs a county in the British Isles District council a unit of government in various jurisdictions Ecumenical council pan Christian discussion bodies European Council the body of heads of states or of governments of the European Union Labour council an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area Municipal council a form of local government National security council an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues Parish council England a form of local government in part of the United Kingdom Privy council a body that advises the head of state of a country Provincial council a governing body for a province Regional council a local government body in various countries an entity of local government in Australia Shura Council the formerly upper house of the Egyptian parliament Town council a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or parishes Tribal council First Nations and Native American Nations governing bodies Research Councils UK government agencies responsible for an area of research in the United Kingdom United Nations Security Council a decision making body at the United Nations Vatican Council a high level policy council of the Roman Catholic Church Village council State of Palestine a local government body in Palestine Workers council a council composed of working class or proletarian members In other fieldsTypes of councils encountered in other spheres include Arts council a government or private non profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts Bar council a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the Inns of Court Buddhist councils important historical events in the history of Buddhism Council Boy Scouts a non profit private corporation within Boy Scouts of America Ecumenical council a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice Military council Student council a student organization present in many elementary schools middle schools high schools colleges and universities Synod in a Christian church University Council running a university War Council discussions pertaining to a declaration of war or tactics and strategy of a coming battle Works council a body representing the workers of a plant factory etc elected to negotiate with the management about working conditions wages etc Youth council an example of youth voice engaged in youth led decision making References Council Definition See alsoConsul Legislative Council Pontifical Council Local government in Australia United Nations Security Council Directorial system a form is government where a group of people act as the head of State and or Government Media related to Councils at Wikimedia Commons Look up council in Wiktionary the free dictionary
