The first elections for those councils were held on 18 May 2003, and their four-year term will soon expire.
At a session on Wednesday the government also presented a new draft act on physical planning and construction.
One of the novelties in the draft act is that building a family house with up to 400 square metres of gross space will not require a location or construction permit. It will be necessary to get a decision from relevant authorities about conditions of construction works.
The new draft act, which was sent to parliament today, also simplifies procedures for zoning and issuance of necessary construction permits.
Construction and Zoning Minister Marina Matulovic Dropulic said that constructing big housing and commercial buildings would require locations permits.
To build larger and more complicated objects such as highways, refineries and other plants, it will be necessary to obtain licences and permits from the state administration. The procedure will include the issuance of both location and building permits.
The Ivo Sanader cabinet also decided to change the law on social welfare so as to allow parents with severely disabled children to stay home with their children.
Under the draft amendments, one of the parents may be given the status of caregiver and receive a monthly income of 2,000 kuna plus pension and health insurance contributions, to be paid by the government, so that they can be entitled to pension and health care.
Currently, 3,506 parents are on a paid leave until the seventh birthday of their severely disabled children.
In addition, 2,673 parents are using the opportunity to work part-time due to health problems of their disabled children above the age of 7.
The amendments allow parents with severely disabled children to be caregivers as long as their children need special care.
The implementation of these and other amendments to the social welfare law will cost 23 million kuna annually.