Administration
The local government of Yaroslavl consists of the Mayoralty, the head of which is the mayor, and the Municipal Council, the members of which may cast votes at council meetings.
The mayoralty plays the role of the executive in the city's municipal administration. Above all comes the mayor, who is elected, by the city's electorate, for four years in a direct election. Sine December 1991 this office has been held by Viktor Volontshunas, a member of the United Russia party. Volonchunas was first elected under Yeltsin and since then has been reelected to the position of mayor on four separate occasions. There are eight deputy mayors, each of which is responsible for a certain particular part of the city's public policy. Within each policy area there are about five or six operations' departments which are all subordinated to their policy area's deputy. For example, under the deputy's office for social policy and culture there are six departments: Social Insurance and Employment, Physical fitness and Sport,Youth policy, Education, Health policy, and Culture policy.
The Municipal Council of the city makes up the administration's legislative branch, thus effectively making it a city 'parliament' or duma. The municipal council is made up of 36 elected members, who are each elected to represent a certain district of the city for a four year term. In the regular meetings of the municipal council, problems facing the city are discussed, and annually the city's budget is drawn up. The council also has a court of audit and four standing commissions which play an important role in controlling the finances and trading practices of the city and its merchants.
Each of the city's six districts has its own district administration, all of which are ultimately part of the city's mayoralty. In addition to the city's own authorities, the authorities and legislature of the Yaroslavl Oblast can also be found in the city.
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