Association of Netherlands municipalities
Director General: Ralph PANS
Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten
Nassaulaan 12 - Postbus 30435
NL - 2500 GK THE HAGUE
Tel.: 31-70-373 8393 / Fax: 31-70-363 5682
E-mail: vng@vng.nl
Web: http://www.vng.nl

 

Association of provinces of the Netherlands
Director General: Gerard BEUKEMA
Interprovinciaal Overleg (IPO)
Muzenstraat 61 - NL - 2511 VW DEN HAAG
P.O. Box 16107  -NL - 2500 BC DEN HAAG
Tel.: 31-70-888 1212 / Fax: 31-70-888 1280
E-mail: ipo-info@wb.ipo.nl
Web: http://www.ipo.nl

 

 

 

 

 

 

The municipal council (gemeenteraad) is the deliberative body of the commune. The councillors are elected for four years under the proportional representation system. The council takes the main decisions in the municipality and has the power to pass bye-laws. The council is chaired by the mayor (who cannot take part in any vote).

 

The college of mayor and aldermen (burgemeester en wethouders) is the executive body. The college prepares and implements the council's decisions. Aldermen are elected for a four-year mandate. Their number depends on the size of the municipality.

 

The mayor (burgemeester) is the chair of the college. His/her vote can be decisive in the executive. He/she is formally appointed by the government on proposal by the local council and has a six-year mandate.

 

 

. Urban planning
. Housing
. Tourism
. Public works
. Transport
. Health
. Primary education
. Social welfare
. Law and order
. Culture and sport

 

 

 

The provincial states (provinciale staten) are the legislative body. Their members are elected at the universal direct suffrage for a four-year mandate. The provincial states have the power to pass bye-laws. They are chaired by the queen's commissioner (who cannot take part in a vote).

The provincial executive (gedeputeerde staten) consists of three to nine members designated by the provincial states from within the states and of the queen's commissioner.

 

The queen's commissioner (commissaris van de koningin) chairs the executive and can have a decisive vote. (S)he is appointed for a six-year term by the government upon proposal by the provincial states.

 

Competences (mostly shared with the national government)

 

. Welfare homes
. Regional planning
. Environmental protection
. Culture
. Leisure and sports
. Transport
. Energy
. Tourism

 

The articles of the Dutch Constitution related to local and regional government (in English and Dutch)