Intergovernmental Profile: Belize

While Belize is divided into six districts for statistical, judicial, and administrative purposes, there are no integrated governance institutions at this level. The only subnational governance level in Belize is the local level, with three main types of local governance institutions: city councils, town councils, and village (and community) councils. Functions are assigned on a differentiated basis depending on the type of council. The Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government is in charge of managing the relationship with these local governments.

In addition, indigenous (Mayan) communities have a degree of self-governance through the election and appointment of alcaldes, local magistrates with minor judicial and administrative powers.

Local government councils in Belize–regardless of type–meet the preconditions of being de jure and de facto corporate bodies: they are led by elected councils; able to appoint their own officers and staff, and prepare and adopt their own budgets. In practice, however, village and community councils lack officers and staff. Furthermore, the decision-making powers and autonomy of local governments are constrained: no expenditure shall be incurred by a local council unless its budget has been approved by the National Assembly, while all local by-laws require review and approval by the Minister and the House of Representatives. As such, these local councils should be considered hybrid local governance institutions rather than fully devolved local governments.

Rather than forming a separate local governance institutions, Аlсаldеѕ аnd Dерutу Аlсаldеѕ аrе еlесtеd bу Мауа vіllаgеs, typically fоr а tеrm оf twо уеаrѕ, аnd are subsequently арроіntеd to function as magistrates bу thе Аttоrnеу Gеnеrаl under the Inferior Courts Act.

Local governments of all types are charged with basic local functions (such as basic spatial planning and the maintenance of secondary roads and streets). In addition, the functions of local governments include responsibilities such as cemetery management, park management, and markets supervision and devolved depending on the type of municipality. The functional responsibilities of Alcaldes are limited: they as local magistrates who have both a minor judicial role as well as administrative role: in addition to presiding over local courts, alcaldes are responsible for managing communal land and have a community representation function.