The St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation has two arms, the political and the administrative. The political arm is made up of Councillors, headed by the Mayor who is the chairman of the Corporation and is responsible for determining policies. The administrative arm headed by a manager who advises and implements the policies of, the corporation. The head of the administrative arm of Corporation is also Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and is therefore called the CEO.
The Corporation is empowered to make by-laws, regulations and rules for the good governance of the parish of St. Elizabeth over which it has jurisdiction. Specific responsibilities of the Councils include:
Developing, managing and maintaining infrastructure and public facilities such as parochial roads, water supplies, drains and gullies, parks, recreational centres, markets, abattoirs, pounds, cemeteries, transportation centres, public sanitary conveniences and public beaches.
Provision of local services such as poor relief, public cleansing, public health, street lighting
Regulation powers in respect to building and planning approvals and development control, licensing of trades and businesses, street parking, control of public vending.
Coordinating inter-agency collaboration among non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (COBs) and government agencies which operate in the parish and are engaged in the delivery of local services or in local development.
Support of national policies/development programmes at the local level.
Spearhead plans and initiatives for the orderly, balanced and sustainable development of the parish as a whole, and major towns in particular, and for the boosting economic activity and local wealth creation within the parish.