Subcouncils
Subcouncils serve as the link between local communities in Cape Town and the City Council.
What is a subcouncil?
A subcouncil is a geographically defined area within the city which is made up of between four and seven neighbouring wards. Subcouncils exist to make sure that the issues affecting your neighbourhood are heard and dealt with.There are a total of 20 subcouncils which make up the City of Cape Town’s municipal structure.
The subcouncils serve the residents by engaging with them on municipal issues. Subcouncils have been given the power to act on behalf of Council via the
System of Delegations and they have the authority to make decisions on a range of municipal matters.
These may include service delivery requests, building and planning applications, fault reporting and other matters, including:
- Receiving and responding to residents’ complaints and enquiries
- Making recommendations to Council on matters affecting their area
- Commenting on liquor licence applications
- Monitoring the City’s
service delivery effort
- Supervising the expenditure of ward allocation budgets (funds that the City allocates to wards in every subcouncil for local municipal projects)
- Ensuring that
by-laws and policy matters are referred to the community
for comment
- Maintaining an up-to-date database of community organisations in the area.
Subcouncil meetings take place once a month, or whenever an urgent issue arises and needs immediate attention. Decisions are made through a majority vote by the subcouncil committee.
Who are members of the subcouncil?
The membership of each subcouncil consists of the following representatives:
- Ward councillors
- PR councillors
- The subcouncil chairperson
- The subcouncil manager
The chairperson and councillors are the subcouncil’s political representatives. Ward councillors and PR councillors are not elected by their subcouncil. Ward councillors are elected by the constituents in their wards, and PR councillors are appointed by their political party. The subcouncil chairperson is elected by the members of the subcouncil and the subcouncil manager is appointed by the city manager to run the administrative affairs of the subcouncil.
Subcouncil chairperson
The subcouncil chairperson is the political leader of the subcouncil. The chairperson decides when and where the subcouncil meets, and manages the meetings by following the Rules of Order (English |
Afrikaans |
isiXhosa). The subcouncil chairperson is supported by the subcouncil manager in carrying out their duties.
Subcouncil manager
Each subcouncil is managed by a City-appointed
subcouncil manager. The subcouncil manager’s job is to organise subcouncil meetings, coordinate the subcouncil's operations, and make sure that projects are completed within budget and on schedule. The subcouncil manager also administers the annual ward allocation budget by working closely with ward councillors and the subcouncil chairperson. As a member of the community, you may
contact the subcouncil manager regarding any municipal service issue that you might have.
Attend a Subcouncil meeting
The City values your input on issues affecting your community. One way to make sure that we hear your voice is by attending subcouncil meetings.
View the
Council Calendar for subcouncil meeting details and click on the link below to find out how to attend.
Ward allocation projects
Each financial year, every subcouncil is allocated a budget per ward for ward allocation projects. After canvassing the community for their input, the ward committees submit project plans to the subcouncil for approval. The subcouncil in turn reviews the plans and submits them to Council for final approval.
Council’s decisions are based on where the greatest needs are, or where projects will have the greatest impact. If individual ward budgets are not enough to cover project costs, wards may opt for multi-ward projects where needs cut across wards or they can apply for MURP funding (the Mayor’s special fund for ward projects).
Top tip
DID YOU KNOW: You can find out about other ways to share concerns with us by visiting our
Have Your Say section on this site.
Subcouncil funding
Organisations can access funding via ward allocations from their local subcouncil, provided they meet certain qualifying criteria and there is funding available.
Funding is made available via the
Grants-in-Aid funding application process, advertised once a year. Each application process will have specific funding focus areas, submission requirements and a closing date.
Funding areas
- Accommodation, care and burial of animals
- Acquiring sports equipment
- Building inclusive communities by supporting the most vulnerable and marginalised (women and children)
- Capacity building for youth organisations
- Child care for pre-school children 0 – 6 years (ECDs)
- Empowering older persons
- Empowering people living with disabilities
- Empowering women and addressing gender norms
- Environmental health, primary health care and substance abuse services
- Heritage Initiatives
- Integration, accommodation and employment of street people
- Maintaining and repairing local sports facilities
- Promoting safety and security in neighbourhoods
- Skills training
- Sports and recreational projects
- Substance abuse prevention
- Supporting food gardens
- Visual and Performing Arts (Arts and Culture)
- Youth recreation and awareness initiatives
If your organisation would like to apply, you can visit your
local subcouncil office for the appropriate forms and information on the submission process. Alternatively, download and complete the PDF versions below:
Please return the completed application forms to your local subcouncil office.
Prospective applicants should check that they meet the qualifying criteria and provide all required documentation when making application:
Submission requirements
Qualifying applicants should ensure that they:
- Submit a completed Subcouncil Grant-in-Aid Application Form (Annexure A1)
- Submit a completed Subcouncil Grant-in Aid Business Plan (Annexure A2)
- Submit a completed Grant-in-Aid Expenditure Report (Annexure A3)
- Are
registered on the City’s Supply Chain Management Department Database as a supplier
- Are registered on National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database (MAAA0524789
https://secure.csd.gov.za/)
- Provide a copy of the organisation’s constitution and AGM minutes (not older than 18 months)
- Provide proof of bank account details
- Provide a valid tax clearance certificate
- Provide a valid PBO / NPO certificate
- Provide certified copies of members IDs.
- Provide a Certificate of Compliance/Acceptability Certificate if the organisation intends to manufacture, store, distribute, prepare, transport or sell any kind of foodstuff intended for public consumption.
- Provide a copy of the latest paid-up municipal account. If in arrears, a repayment arrangement must be made in order to be eligible for grant-in-aid funding. If a lease agreement is in place, the property owner’s municipal account must be paid up
- If registered as a VAT vendor, a zero-rated tax invoice with the City’s VAT number (4500193497) must be submitted
- If the grant-in-aid amount being applied for is R50 000 or less, a signed income and expenditure report as tabled at the previous AGM must be provided
- If the grant-in-aid amount being applied for is
more than R50 000 but not more than R100 000, the latest independently reviewed annual financial statements must be provided
- If the grant-in-aid amount being applied for is more than R100 000, the latest audited financial statements must be provided
All organisations and applications should take note of the Grants-in-Aid Policy.
If your application is successful, expenditure on the approved project will start within two months after the Grants-in-Aid funds are deposited into your organisation’s bank account, as provided for in clause 8.8 of the MOA.
The
Grant-in-Aid Annexure A3 Application Form (Expenditure Report) must be completed monthly and submitted to the subcouncil.
Meetings, agendas and minutes
The latest minutes of subcouncil meetings displayed on the calendar are subject to confirmation at the next subcouncil meeting. Should a matter directly affect you, please
contact the subcouncil for a copy of the extract, which will state that it is a draft minute.
Subcouncil meetings are open to the public and are held at least once a month except during recess, which is usually in the school holidays. Anyone can apply to the
subcouncil manager for an opportunity to address a subcouncil meeting on any issue.
Decisions about issues are taken by a majority vote. Use the calendar to find out when your subcouncil's next meeting will be held and to access agendas and minutes. Other area-related events are also shown here as and when they occur.
view the calendar