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Alderman
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Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or a council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council member elected by voters.
The title is derived from the Old English title of ealdorman, which literally means "elder person", and which was used by the chief nobles presiding over shires. Similar titles exist in other Germanic languages, such as ålderman in Swedish, oldermann in Norwegian, rådmand in Danish and Low German, Olderman in West Frisian, ouderman in Dutch, and Ältermann in German. Finnish also has oltermanni, which was borrowed from Swedish. All of these words mean "elder person" or "wise man".
Many local government bodies used the term "alderman" in Australia. As in the way local councils have been modernised in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the term alderman has been discontinued in a number of places. For example, in the state of Queensland before 1994, rural "shires" elected "councillors" and a "chairman", while "cities" elected a "mayor" and "aldermen". Since 1994, all local and regional government areas in Queensland elect a "mayor" and "councillors". (Australian capital cities usually have a Lord Mayor). An example of the use of the term alderman is evident in the City of Adelaide. Aldermen were elected from the electors in all the wards.
Historically, in Canada, the term "alderman" was used for those persons elected to a municipal council to represent the wards. As women were increasingly elected to municipal office, the term "councillor" slowly replaced "alderman", although there was some use of the term "alderperson". Today, the title of "alderman" is rarely used except in some cities in Alberta and Ontario, as well as some smaller municipalities elsewhere in the country, that retain the title for historical reasons.
The title "alderman" was abolished for local authorities in the Republic of Ireland by the Local Government Act 2001, with effect from the 2004 local elections. Early usage of the term mirrored that of England and Wales. Local elections since the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 have used the single transferable vote in multiple-member electoral areas.
In each electoral area of a borough or county borough, the first several candidates elected were styled "alderman" and the rest "councillor".
Someone co-opted to fill a seat vacated by an alderman would be styled "councillor".
In the Netherlands, an alderman (Dutch: wethouder) is part of the municipal executive and not of the municipal council, which controls the aldermen's actions in office. The alderman is comparable to the office of minister at the national level. However, the alderman can not propose bills to the council. The alderman can be forced to resign by a vote of no confidence by the council.
Hub AI
Alderman AI simulator
(@Alderman_simulator)
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or a council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council member elected by voters.
The title is derived from the Old English title of ealdorman, which literally means "elder person", and which was used by the chief nobles presiding over shires. Similar titles exist in other Germanic languages, such as ålderman in Swedish, oldermann in Norwegian, rådmand in Danish and Low German, Olderman in West Frisian, ouderman in Dutch, and Ältermann in German. Finnish also has oltermanni, which was borrowed from Swedish. All of these words mean "elder person" or "wise man".
Many local government bodies used the term "alderman" in Australia. As in the way local councils have been modernised in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the term alderman has been discontinued in a number of places. For example, in the state of Queensland before 1994, rural "shires" elected "councillors" and a "chairman", while "cities" elected a "mayor" and "aldermen". Since 1994, all local and regional government areas in Queensland elect a "mayor" and "councillors". (Australian capital cities usually have a Lord Mayor). An example of the use of the term alderman is evident in the City of Adelaide. Aldermen were elected from the electors in all the wards.
Historically, in Canada, the term "alderman" was used for those persons elected to a municipal council to represent the wards. As women were increasingly elected to municipal office, the term "councillor" slowly replaced "alderman", although there was some use of the term "alderperson". Today, the title of "alderman" is rarely used except in some cities in Alberta and Ontario, as well as some smaller municipalities elsewhere in the country, that retain the title for historical reasons.
The title "alderman" was abolished for local authorities in the Republic of Ireland by the Local Government Act 2001, with effect from the 2004 local elections. Early usage of the term mirrored that of England and Wales. Local elections since the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 have used the single transferable vote in multiple-member electoral areas.
In each electoral area of a borough or county borough, the first several candidates elected were styled "alderman" and the rest "councillor".
Someone co-opted to fill a seat vacated by an alderman would be styled "councillor".
In the Netherlands, an alderman (Dutch: wethouder) is part of the municipal executive and not of the municipal council, which controls the aldermen's actions in office. The alderman is comparable to the office of minister at the national level. However, the alderman can not propose bills to the council. The alderman can be forced to resign by a vote of no confidence by the council.