It is a legislative and control organ in the city. It plays the role of a representative organ in the city, similarly as RP Seym on the nationwide level. The Council is selected for a four-year cadence. Currently the Council consists of 34 people.

The exclusive powers of the Council include the following:

• deciding on the city statute
• establishing the salary of the president, determining directions of his activities and receiving the reports from his activities.
• Appointing and recalling city treasurer and secretary – on president’s application
• Deciding on the city budget, considering the report from realizing the budget and passing a resolution concerning giving or not giving the vote of acceptance
• Deciding on the local arrangement plans
• Deciding on the economical programs
• Passing resolutions concerning taxes and payments within the frames specified in the individual laws.
• Passing resolutions concerning the property issues of the city, exceeding the range of a regular board.

The Council selects a chairman from its group and 1-3 vice-chairmen in the ballot. The task of the Council Chairman is organizing the works of the Council, chairing debates and representing the Council outside.
The Council appoints regular problem commissions, that are responsible for the individual areas of life in the city. Currently, 9 regular commissions act in the Council.

The debates of common session of Gdańsk City Council usually take place on the last Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Debate Room in New Town Hall at Wały Jagiellońskie 1. The debates of the session are open to public and each inhabitant can observe it from the balcony or on the screen of plasma TV in the hall of New Town Hall. Information about the session program can be received in New Town Hall and they are also placed in the internet on the website of the Magistrat www.gdansk.pl. The problem commissions of the Council work between sessions.