District Executive Committees

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES, organs of executive power on the territory of city districts in 1917-27 and in 1940-91. For the first time they were elected by District Soviets in March-May 1917, after October 1917 they were replaced with district governments. From summer 1917, branch departments (units) were attached to district executive Committees: Medical and Sanitary Committee (Committee for Health), Housing Committee, Food Committee, Economy Committee, Military Committee. In 1918-19, departments were added to their organizational structure, including financial, agricultural (land), fuel, and civil affairs departments, and departments of public education, social welfare, and labour. In September 1921, by order of the Executive Committee of Petrograd Soviet district branch units were seized from the jurisdiction of district executive Committees and were subordinated to appropriate departments of the Petrograd Soviet. By decree of the Plenum of the Leningrad Soviet on April 1, 1927 presidiums of District Soviets numbering 9-11 deputies were elected instead of District Executive Committees. In January 1940 in the course of sessions of District Soviets, District Executive Committees were elected again and departments (general, trade, housing departments, departments of staff, and civil registration), planning and administrative commissions were formed. District departments of health care, public education, finance, culture, etc. were subordinated to District Executive Committees. District Executive Committees were in charge of issues related to local industry, schools, children’s institutions, medical, and cultural organizations, they approved adoption cases (from 1946), provided housing (from 1945), awarded benefits to large families, registered charters of cooperative and private factories (from 1987). District Executive Committees were liquidated by order of the Mayor of St. Petersburg on August 9, 1991, and their functions passed on to district administrations (territorial governments of St. Petersburg Administration).

N. Y. Cherepenina.