The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 16 upper secondary schools, with 9,500 pupils.

The county municipality's most important tasks include secondary education, recreation (sports and outdoor life), and cultural heritage.

The county municipality has further responsibility for regional land-use planning, business development, power production, and environmental management.

The council essentially acts as a Parliament or legislative body for the county.

The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.