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Committees of Council and Their Functions

The following are the standing committees of Council appointed in terms of Sections 96, 97 and 210 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) and the number of members of each Committee is determined by the full Council when it appoints members to Committees.

Human Resources and General Purposes Committee

• Matters involving policy and not specifically referred to another Committee.
• Matters concerning Council’s employees.
• Conduct of Ceremonial and Civic functions.
• Appointments, dismissals and conditions of service of Council employees.
• Matters concerning Gender Mainstreaming.
• Twinning of the City with sister cities.

Finance and Development Committee

• All matters concerning overall Finance Policy affecting the City including the control and management as well as financial relations with the Government and other outside organisations.
• Matters concerning staff benefits, land alienation and acquisition.
• Budgets preparation and monitoring.

Environmental Management Committee

• Matters concerning, Town Planning.
• Roads, traffic planning and control.
• Street lighting and Building By-Laws.
• Public transport.
• Naming of suburbs and streets.
• Waste Management, including the collection and disposal of refuse.
• The water supply undertaking, sewerage drains and all matters relating thereto.

Education, Health, Housing and Community Services and Licensing Committee

• Issue and renewal of all shop licences.
• Matters relating to Public health and Social Welfare Services.
• Housing, co-operatives, Cemeteries.
• Education, libraries, crèches, public hall, stadia and vocational training.
• Street and door to door collections.
• Operations of Harare Metro Police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service Division.
• Parks and Grass Cutting.

Audit Committee

• Matters relating to internal and External Audits.
• Value for money audits.
• Oversight function.
• Reviews performance of Departments.

Business committee

• Matters relating to the crafting of incentives to  be offered to investors.
• Initiation and overseeing of enterprises under the City’s commercialization programme.
• Matters relating to the establishment of new ventures on Municipal land and partnerships with Council.
• Matters concerning the appointment of Board Members to Council business ventures.
• Setting up of the Harare one stop investment facility.
• Matters concerning the operations of profit generating projects and programmes of the City.

Information and Publicity Committee

• Formulating public relations strategies and policies which ensure the continuous rejuvenation of the Harare Brand equity.
• Overseeing the production of information materials for Council.
• Regulating the participation of Council at Fairs, Shows and similar events.
  
  

Informal Sector Committee

• Matters arising to the operation of the Informal Sector including the formulation of policies and by-laws.
  
• Matters concerning formalization of the Informal Sector operations as an economic growth strategy and to facilitate levying of rentals and other charges on the operations.
• Matters relating to the development of infrastructure for the informal sector.
• Matters concerning the business and economic development for the informal sector.

Procedure at Meetings of Council and its Committees

The Harare (Proceedings of the Council) By-laws, 1973 guides the conduct of the meetings of Council and its Committees.

In terms of Section 87, of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) all meetings of the Council are open to the public and the press. Committee meetings are not open to the public and press.

Terms of Reference of Committees

Sections 96, 97 and 210 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) stipulates the terms of Reference for some Committees or Council. The detailed terms of reference are in the standing resolutions of council, parts 1 and 2. Under no circumstances shall a Committee pass a resolution on a matter that falls outside its terms of reference. 

Venue of Committee and Council Meetings

Every meeting of Council or its Committees shall be held in the Council Chamber at Town House, Harare. However, if circumstances demand, such meetings may be held at any place under the jurisdiction of the Council by resolution.

Joint Meetings of Two or More Committees

In terms of Section 36 (1) of the Harare (Proceedings of the Council) By-Laws 1973, two or more Committees shall, if Council resolves, or by agreement of the Committees concerned or if the Chairpersons of such Committees agree, hold one or more joint Meetings to consider or recommend to the Full Council on matters of joint interest to such Committees.

Such Committees, when acting jointly, may exercise any of the powers any one of them is empowered to exercise.

Minutes of Meetings of The Council and its Committees

In terms of Section 88 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15), the Chamber Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, Minutes in English, of all proceedings of the Council and its Committees, posted in minute books  maintained for such purpose.