This week, staff from JLGC went to The Hague and Amsterdam to examine initiatives to support human resources and staff development in local government in the Netherlands. VNG (Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeententrip), the Association of Netherlands Municipalities directs such projects and has a national strategy to attract citizens into a career in local government, with an award-winning advertising campaign. VNG has been going for nearly 100 years and lobbies to protect and further develop the strong independent role of Dutch local government. Dutch Local government has an enviable position responsible for developing and managing local policy and budgets relatively independently of national government. Other discussions included the Dutch implementation of Business Improvement Districts and the role of local government in the wider local economy.
There was also a visit to the City of The Hague Council offices, welcomed by one of a network of the successful “ex-pat” offices set up as a one stop shop for foreign residents setting up home in the city, to hear about branding the city internationally. This was also the subject of a second day in Amsterdam and a visit to the city hall there.
