The main difference between council and committee is that council usually refers to a group of people are who are elected for a certain task while committee refers to a group of people who come together to make decisions or plans for a larger group/organization that they represent.
The terms council and committee refer to a group of people who come together to make decisions or plans. Therefore, we often use these two words interchangeably. However, there are often committees within larger bodies such as organizations and councils to deal with specific issues.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is a Council
– Definition, Features
2. What is a Committee
– Definition, Features
3. What is the Relationship Between Council and Committee
– Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Council and Committee
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Committee, Council
What is a Council
A council refers to a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. It originates from Latin Concilium, which means group of people or meeting. It’s important to note that term council usually refers to a group of people who are chosen or elected for a certain task such as giving advice on a particular subject, representing a particular group of people, or running a particular organization. United Nations Security Council, Council of Europe, and the Vatican Council are some examples. In most cases, since the members of the council are elected, the council has a “term” or a limit of time that it exists before going to another election.
A council can function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county level. Some schools also have student councils. Moreover, we call a member of a council councillor or councilperson (councilman/councilwoman).
What is a Committee
A committee is a group of people who get together to make decisions or plans for a larger group/organization that they represent. Some committees deal with short-term problems or issues, whereas some committees meet on a continuous basis to manage a recurring or regular issue. We usually create committees to deal with a specific issue; for example, programs and events, nominations, fundraising, elections, etc. Depending on the functions or issues they deal with, we can categorize the committees into different types. Advisory committees, ad hoc committees, standing committees, etc. are some such examples.
Committees usually meet on a regular basis. They also have a leader who manages all the meetings and follows the correct protocol to ensure that the committee is meeting its objectives. Sometimes, committees also have a vice-chairman.
Relationship Between Council and Committee
- These two words refer to a group of people who come together to make decisions.
- We can use these two words interchangeably in most instances.
- There are committees within larger bodies such as organizations and councils to deal with specific issues.
Difference Between Council and Committee
Definition
A council refers to a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions while a committee is a group of people who get together to make decisions or plans for the larger organization they represent.
Size
A council is usually a larger body than a committee.
Election
Moreover, a council usually includes members who are elected, while a committee may not essentially have elected members.
Conclusion
The main difference between council and committee is that council usually refers to a group of people are who are elected for a certain task while committee refers to a group of people who get together to make decisions or plans for a larger group or organization that they represent. There are often committees within larger bodies such as organizations and councils to deal with specific issues.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Meeting of the Federation Council (2018-12-11)” By The Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “5395567” (CC0) via Pixabay
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