Association bodies
The supreme body of the association is the Association Assembly. It has 96 members, of which 73 are nominated by the member regional administrative bodies, i.e. were elected by their respective district or municipal council. The district administrators, as well as the lord mayors/mayoresses and mayors/mayoresses of towns with more than 25,000 inhabitants, are so-called born members. These 23 persons belong to the Association Assembly by virtue of their office. The body has two decision-making committees, the Planning Committee and the Committee for Regional Development and Management.
The Association Assembly makes all the substantial, content-related decisions in the association's areas of responsibility, i.e. with regard to regional planning and development. It also decides on issues relating to memberships, participations or the foundation of societies for fulfilling development tasks of regional importance.
The body elects the Association Director and the Executive Director, adopts and amends statutes, approves budgets and lays down the association levies to be paid by the county town and administrative districts. The Association Assembly usually convenes twice a year. Prior consulting and decisions of lesser (financial) importance are the preserve of the two decision-making committees, the Planning Committee and the Committee for Regional Development and Management.
The Administrative Board is made up of the Chairperson, who holds the chair by virtue of his/her office, and a further 27 members from the ranks of the Association Assembly. The body makes the preparations for the Association Assembly meetings. It decides on the appointment and grouping of the association's employees (with the exception of the Association Director and the Executive Director). The Supervisory Board also monitors the administrative activities.