These regions, within the scope of their competence, ensure planning and co-ordination of regional development and co-operation between local government and other parts of the administration. In accordance with the Law on Regional Development, the Riga planning region as an institution is a derived public entity supervised by the Ministry of Regional Development and local government. Its decisionmaking authority is the Riga Planning Region Development Council, whose 18 members are appointed at a meeting of all heads of municipalities in the planning region.