The council is the representative body of the municipality. It is elected for a period of 5 years - its current term of office lasts until autumn 2030. The council of the town of Beckum currently consists of 44 councillors and the mayor as chairman.
In accordance with the municipal code for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the council is responsible for all matters relating to the city administration and makes the necessary decisions. It issues orders to the administration, specifies guidelines and principles according to which the administration should work and at the same time monitors the administration. In order to ensure that all matters of importance to the city are dealt with as quickly as possible, the Council can form committees to deal with various key issues and also delegate decisions on certain matters to these committees or the Mayor.
Meetings
The Council and its committees generally meet in public, but for certain matters the public may be excluded, for example, the awarding of contracts or personnel matters.
Shortly before the Christmas break, numerous other resolutions were passed at the council meeting - in addition to the introduction of the 2026 budget.
Which committees should exist in future and in what composition? The Beckum City Council addressed these questions at its meeting on 20 November. The Committee for Equal Opportunities and Integration is new.
Formalities and emotions: At yesterday's constituent council meeting, Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich, the new council members and the deputy mayors were sworn in. 16 people were given a ceremonial farewell.
At the council meeting on Tuesday evening, electoral officer Thomas Wulf gave an initial summary of the 2025 municipal and integration council elections, expressing his sincere thanks to everyone involved.
Green light for commercial space concept and sustainability strategy - transfer of wastewater disposal obligation off the table: these and all other points were unanimously approved at last Thursday's council meeting.
Although the measure has already been approved by a large majority for over a year, there are increasing voices in politics in favour of preserving the Hellbach pond. In order to ensure planning security, the town of Beckum is now calling for a clear political commitment to the project.
The city of Beckum has examined the possible transfer of the wastewater disposal obligation to the Lippeverband in accordance with the political decision. The result: the transfer does not make economic sense and is otherwise not necessary.
The town of Beckum is investing massively in the expansion of its daycare centres over the next few years: four newly built daycare centres will open in 2026 alone, and a total of 151 additional daycare places will be created in the coming years.
The traffic light ban, the mayoral election, the 800th anniversary celebrations, 50 years of the Warendorf district: these topics ran like a red thread through the council meeting. There was a lot of singing and swaying, with togetherness taking centre stage.
At yesterday's council meeting, Thomas Wulf, the mayor's general deputy, began his report by thanking all the electoral assistants in the 38 electoral boards.
The differentiated assessment rates for residential and non-residential properties from 2025 are not intended to place an additional burden on the residents of Beckum.
Dr Rudolf Grothues, Rudolf Goriss and Peter Tripmaker have been members of Beckum town council for 25 years. Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich thanked them for their personal commitment before the council meeting.
At the last council meeting before the summer break, City Treasurer Thomas Wulf presented the provisional annual financial statements for 2023. This was just one of many topics discussed.
Uniform contributions for early and after-lunch care - pre-sale rights statutes for part of the "An der Steinbruchallee" residential development area: This and more was decided at the council meeting on 23 May.
A daycare centre with 6 groups and 4 apartment buildings are to be built on the site of the former Overberg School on the street "Auf dem Jakob". The urban development contract and the development plan were approved at the council meeting on 18 March.
On Ringing Tuesday, the Council traditionally becomes a madhouse when the Prince and his entourage lead through the Fool's Council meeting. The celebrations were exuberant.
As an owner-operated company, Städtische Abwasserbetrieb Beckum takes over the municipal wastewater disposal obligation. At its meeting yesterday, the operating committee agreed to examine the transfer of this duty to the Lippeverband with an open mind.
Due to the change of Sigrid Himmel from the SPD parliamentary group to the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group, 6 committees were newly appointed.
New rules apply to urban development funding. The City of Beckum has therefore identified the projects from the Integrated Urban Development Concept for Neubeckum City Centre (ISEK Neubeckum) that are to be transferred to an initial application under the NRW Urban Development Guideline 2023.
Picnics, art projects or sports: 14 projects from the town's community for next year's 800th anniversary celebrations receive funding from the town of Beckum.
