Local government in Ibagli

Local government in Ibagli exists at several levels. Most services are provided by eight districts and four cities. Varying levels of service are provided by two towns and 47 villages.

Districts

There are eight districts in Ibagli. All of Ibagli was located in a district until 1974, when the four cities were removed from the jurisdiction of their districts and constituted as unitary authorities. Districts have zoning authority, but little power to make any bylaws regulating other conduct. They are responsible for the maintenance of minor roads, parks, and public transport within their jurisdictions.

Cities

There are four cities in Ibagli. They are permitted to make bylaws in a large number of areas. Each city was separated from its district in 1974, and cities have performed all functions of a district government since then.

Towns

After reforms made by the LeVeque government in 1974, several larger villages petitioned to be given greater regulatory powers. Towns were created in 1977 to allow those villages to regain some of the authority they lost in 1974. Most towns were located in urbanised areas adjacent to cities. Most were consolidated with the cities in 2009, and today only Bolton and St. George remain.

Villages

Until 1974, any group of landowners with contiguous property could form a village with powers to make certain local bylaws. While the ability to create new villages was removed in 1972, all villages created by that process continued to exist until 2009, when several villages and towns in urban areas were merged into nearby cities. Villages with populations under 500 had most of their powers removed in 1972. Each village has a council with at least three members, but most of the councils in the smallest villages perform no functions locally and exist as purely ceremonial bodies.