The function of city councils has been more symbolic than of practical significance, says the head of Tehran City Council, who believes that city management bodies should be downsized to streamline the system.
"The status of the council is more symbolic than I imagined. I expected that I would be able to address the city's problems with greater speed and energy, but, unfortunately, there are certain cultural and organizational issues that cause a huge amount of a person's energy, time and motivation to go to waste," Mohsen Hashemi said in an interview with ISNA published on Sunday, which is celebrated as National Councils Day.
"For instance, despite extensive follow-ups to launch a project to build up the subway network during the current term, there has been no leap in the activities of the company concerned, and the necessary funds and support have not been provided for the project, which is the city's main priority," he explained.
The most recent city and village councils elections took place simultaneously with the presidential election in May 2017. Hashemi said the main challenges facing the council are related to its interaction with key organizations involved in the city's management, economic woes and foreign currency issues, which have made it difficult to supply the equipment required to enhance the subway experience for citizens.
Downsizing
He maintains that the unnecessarily complicated structure of the municipality should be reformed as "it swallows up a large amount of the resources allocated to the city and has slowed down the work."
Well-though-out changes should be made to the municipal apparatus to remove the bureaucratic obstacles, Hashemi added.
Potential Threats
Asked about potential threats that may negatively affect the performance of the council, the official noted that they include complacency and failure to create an environment conducive to fundamental reforms aimed at resolving the city's problems.
Unhealthy competition, politicization of affairs, disunity and getting entangled in disputes over political orientation and party affiliations can hurt the body, he said, adding, "Now is the time to resolve issues through practical measures."
Advantages
Commenting on the advantages of the current council compared to the previous ones, he referred to the fact that all of its members were overwhelmingly voted into office by residents of the sprawling metropolis. All 21 members of the city council are reformists. It is both an "opportunity" and a "threat" because now they have higher expectations than before, Hashemi said.
Close Rapport
According to him, another privilege is the rapport between the council and the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, which has put an end to the not-so-helpful rivalry between the municipality and the administrative branch of the government and has paved the way for closer cooperation. The higher number of female councilors is another positive point, Hashemi stated, referring to the fact that six members of the council are women.
In addition, he described the performance of the current council so far as "satisfactory" rather than "ideal", giving it a score of 15 out of 20.
