Local government reform (Cyprus)

In July 2024 there was a major reform of local government in Cyprus, consisting of three strands. A new elected level for the districts of Cyprus, the creation of 18 new municipalities brought about by mergers (plus two retained from before) and, thirdly, 30 new combined authorities to provide joint services for the Communities (i.e. village authorities or civil parishes).

For a 100 years or more the system in Cyprus had been district administrations under the authority of a government appointed District Officer in each district, alongside a multiplicity of mostly small town and village authorities.

The table below shows the number of Municipalities and Communities in each district at various censuses,^{[1][2][3][4][5]} plus the totals from the list of Municipal and Community codes issued by the Cyprus Statistical Service. The latter includes abandoned or occupied villages, which nevertheless retain their village boundaries.^[6]

The local government system consisted of unitary (single tier) urban municipal councils and rural community councils. There were 30 Municipalities in the major towns, plus a further 9 Municipalities in the occupied area. Municipalities are led by mayors. In 2011 there were 350 functioning Community Councils, and a further 25 Communities with a population of zero or less than 104, with a further 137 for Communities whose territory was located in the occupied area of Cyprus.^[7] The size of Cypriot local authorities was the fifth smallest in Europe, with only Turkey, France, Slovakia and the Czech Republic having smaller authorities in terms of population.^[8] In Cyprus, the Municipality average population was 19,950 (in 2011), the Community average was 645 and the overall average was 2,075.6.^[7]

Because of their difference in size, Communities had less power and resources than Municipalities. Communities were generally responsible for waste disposal, water supply and public health. Municipalities were, in addition, responsible for social services, the issuing of building permits, and planning permission (in the case of large municipalities). However, many of these Community services were provided by the district administration, where Communities were unable to provide them themselves.

Local government reform was enacted by the Cypriot Parliament passing three bills in March 2022 and come into force on 01 July 2024, immediately after the local government elections on 09 June.^{[9] [10] [11]}

The local government reform is extended, with some limitations, to the British Sovereign Base Areas.^[12]

District councils called District Local Government Organisations were created in each district by the "Law on District Organisations of Local Government" of 2022. These councils took over the Water Boards and the water supply powers of municipalities and communities. They also took over the Sewerage Boards and the boards responsible for Municipal Waste Disposal and Recovery Sites. The power to issue planning and building permits was transferred to these district councils. This includes all permits and regulations concerning the construction of streets and new buildings and their alteration or demolition.

Each district council consists of a President and 16 members including the Vice-President. The President is directly elected to a 5 year term, firstly on 09 June 2024. 10 members of the councils are elected by a vote of the assembly of municipalities of the district and 6 are be elected by a vote of the assembly of Communities in the district, both assemblies convened for that purpose. The Vice-President is elected by the members of the council after their election. ^{[11][13] [14][15]}

The Municipalities Act of 2022 creates 18 new Municipalities by amalgamating 28 Municipalities and 63 Communities, which become municipal districts of the new municipalties. The Municipalities of Strovolos and Paphos remain unchanged. As a suburb of Nicosia, both mayors and some experts proposed that Strovolos be merged into Nicosia either as a single municipality or a federated metropolitan authority, but this was not adopted.^[9]

These 20 new or retained municipalities gain powers over the establishment of a municipal police, road maintenance, and the responsibilities of school boards (by 2029). The power to issue planning and building permits is transferred away from municipalities to the new District Local Government Organisations.

The municipal elections took place on 09 June 2024. ^{[11] [16]}

The table below lists the new municipalities and the previous authorities from which they are composed, which now become municipal districts with deputy mayors. ^{[17] [18]}

Note: Column "Pre" indicates previous status: M (municipality), C (community) or S (settlement)

Except for those amalgamated in the new municipalities, existing Communities were preserved. 30 combined authorities called Community Complexes were created for the provision of common services to their participating communities, which are those listed in Schedule 6 of Communities (Amendment) (No. 2) Law of 2022. (See table below). Unlisted Communities can be added by order of the Minister of the Interior.

Complexes have the following functions:

• Waste collection management;
• provision of joint accounting and secretarial services;
• joint specilaised technical support;
• health services;
• traffic control services;
• dogs regulation;
• provision of green areas for the complex;

Each Complex is governed by the Services Complex Council, whose members are the mukhtars of the communities participating in the complex. They elects its president and vice-president by secret ballot. The council can choose a name for the complex.^[19]

The table below shows the member Communities of each Complex. The complexes are officially designated by their district name and a number using Greek Numerals (which are analagous to Roman Numerals). For clarity, normal arabic numerals are used below. The list of complexes and their member Communities is contained in the Schedule of the Communities (Amendment) (No. 2) Act of 2022.^[20]

Details of each complex below.^[21] Population in 2021.^[5]