Article 23 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
المادة 23 من نظام البلديات والقرى
The article lists the matters in which the municipal council takes decisions, such as the budget, final account, urban plan, regulations, fees and fines, and oversight of revenues and expenditures.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتخذ المجلس البلدي قراراته في جميع المسائل المتعلقة بالبلدية طبقا لهذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة واللوائح وخاصة فيما يلي:
1 - إعداد مشروع ميزانية البلدية .
2 - إقرار مشروع الحساب الختامي بقصد رفعه للجهات المختصة.
3 - إعداد مشروع المخطط التنظيمي للبلدية -بالاشتراك مع الجهات المعنية- تمهيدا لاعتماده من وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية .
4 - وضع اللوائح التنفيذية الخاصة بالشروط التخطيطية والتنظيمية والفنية الواجب توافرها في المناطق العمرانية.
5 - اقتراح المشاريع العمرانية في البلدة.
6 - وضع اللوائح التنفيذية اللازمة لممارسة البلدية واجباتها فيما يتعلق بالصحة والراحة والمباني والمرافق العامة وغيرها.
7 - تحديد مقدار الرسوم والغرامات بما لا يتجاوز مائة ريال.
8 - اقتراح مقدار الرسوم والغرامات بما زاد عن مائة ريال.
9 - مراقبة الإيرادات والمصرفات، وإدارة أموال البلدية طبقا للأنظمة والتعليمات السارية وضمن الحدود المبينة في الإعانات الحكومية المخصصة لها.
10 - مراقبة سير أعمال البلدية ، والعمل على رفع كفاءتها وحسن أدائها للخدمات.
11 - اقتراح مشاريع نزع الملكية للمنفعة العامة .
12 - عقد القروض من المؤسسات الحكومية المختصة، وقبول الوصايا والهبات المتمشية مع الشريعة الإسلامية والمصلحة العامة .
13 - تحديد أسعار الخدمات والمواد التي تقدمها البلدية بطريق مباشر أو غير مباشر.
14 - إبداء الرأي فيما يعرض على المجلس من قضايا.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 23 explained in plain English
This article sets out the powers of the municipal council. It takes its decisions in all matters relating to the municipality under this law and other laws and regulations, particularly in the following matters:
- Finance: preparing the draft municipal budget, approving the draft final account in order to submit it to the competent bodies, monitoring revenues and expenditures and managing the municipality's funds in line with the regulations and within the limits of the government subsidies allocated to it, taking loans from the competent government institutions, and accepting bequests and gifts that are consistent with Islamic Sharia and the public interest.
- Fees and prices: setting the amount of fees and fines not exceeding SAR 100, proposing anything above that, and setting prices for the services and materials the municipality provides.
- Planning and development: preparing the draft urban plan jointly with the bodies concerned in order for the Minister to approve it, proposing development projects, and proposing expropriation projects for the public benefit.
- Regulations: making the regulations on planning, organizational and technical conditions in built-up areas, and the regulations needed for the municipality's duties on health, comfort, buildings and public utilities.
- Oversight and opinion: monitoring the progress of the municipality's work and raising its efficiency, and giving an opinion on what is presented to the council.
Note the distinction between what the council decides, such as fees and fines up to SAR 100, and what it only proposes, such as higher fees and fines, expropriation and development projects. Likewise the urban plan is prepared as a draft by the council and approved by the Minister.
It is followed by Article 24, which repeats that the council takes its decisions in all matters relating to the municipality, subject to paragraph (b) of Article 7. Article 22 refers to the Implementing Regulations the recording of the council's minutes and the drafting of its decisions.
Practical example
A municipal council in Taif governorate wants to impose a fine for dumping waste in public places. Under item (7), the council may set the fine if it does not exceed SAR 100; if it wants a higher fine, then under item (8) it can only propose it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 23 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
What are the powers of the municipal council in Saudi Arabia?
It takes its decisions in all matters relating to the municipality, particularly the budget, final account, urban plan, regulations, fees and fines, and oversight of revenues, expenditures and the municipality's work.
Can the municipal council impose any fine?
The council sets fees and fines not exceeding SAR 100; for anything above that it may only propose.
Does the municipal council approve the urban plan?
The council prepares the draft urban plan jointly with the bodies concerned, in order for the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs to approve it.
May a municipality accept gifts?
Yes. Among the council's powers is accepting bequests and gifts that are consistent with Islamic Sharia and the public interest.
More articles on Powers of the Municipal Council
- Article 7
The article makes the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs the administrative reference of the municipality and lets the Minister specify which municipal council decisions are subject to the Minister's approval or a delegate's.
أ - وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية المرجع الإداري للبلدية . ب - يحدد وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية قرارات المجلس البلدي التي تخضع لتصديقه أو تصديق من يفوضه.
- Article 24
The municipal council takes decisions in all matters relating to the municipality, subject to paragraph (b) of Article 7, under which some of its decisions need the Minister's approval.
مع مراعاة الفقرة (ب) من المادة (7)، يتخذ المجلس البلدي قراراته في جميع المسائل المتعلقة بالبلدية .
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.