What is a Regional Council?

A regional council is a public organization created to foster coordination among member counties and to provide a regional approach to those concerns crossing local boundaries.

A regional council serves an area of local communities whose residents are joined as a unit economically, socially and geographically. The local governments representing these communities have joined together voluntarily to address common economic and social concerns through the efforts of regional councils.

Regional councils are multi-purpose organizations with legal status. Most are voluntary associations and do not have the power to regulate or tax. Primarily funded by local governments and with state and federal funds, the councils are responsible to the representatives of the communities in their region. The governing bodies of councils are primarily composed of local government officials and/or appointed representatives of local communities and state government.

Nationwide, there are over 670 of these regional councils, representing almost all 50 states. These councils are a vehicle for local governments to share their resources, and to make the most of funding, planning, and human resources.

Through communication, planning, policy making, coordination, advocacy, and technical assistance, regional councils serve the local governments and citizens in their region by dealing with issues and needs which cross city, town, county, and in some instances, state boundaries. The regional view encourages an impartial, bipartisan conduit for the exchange of information, and foster objective recommendations for the resolution of problems, including the ability to interrelate many key areas of concern.

The primary function of regional councils is to study the needs and conditions of an entire region and to develop strategies which enhance the region’s communities through intergovernmental cooperation, seizing of economic opportunities, and the pursuit of improvement to the well-being of its citizenry.

Source: New York State Association of Regional Councils brochure.