Decentralisation
in The
Netherlands in a
glimpse

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What does DC mean - definitions
- The transfer of authority and responsibility for public functions from
the central government to subordinate or quasi-independent
government organizations or the private sector. WORLD BANK INSTITUTE
1999
- The restructuring of authority … between institutions of governance
at the central, regional and local levels according to the principle of
subsidiarity. UNDP, 2002
- A process of transferring responsibility, authority, and accountability
for specific or broad management functions to lower levels within
an organization, system, or program. EXTERNAL WORLD BANK EVALUATION, 2008
- Delegating decision-making powers from a central body to a lower
level closer to the public or clients who are to be governed and
served. DECENTRALISATION & LOCAL GOVERNANCE COURSE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, 2004

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Reasons for decentralisation
- Local governments more responsive to local
needs, better services and more accountability
- To ensure greater allocative efficiency of
scarce (public) resources
- To reduce central government administration
and make it more efficient and effective
- More participatory and democratic decision-
making

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Starting point DC in The Netherlands
- Since 1980 Dutch Government sees the advantages of
decentralising tasks
- Starting point is the decentralisation report of Minister
Wiegel: a decentral approach is preferred, if possible
- Until now this is the official decentralisation opinion of the
present government, laid down in Article 117 of the
Municipal law, section 1: 'Our minister promotes
decentralisation in favour of municipalities'
- Examples of policies that were decentralised in the last 30
years: Housing vacancy law, Monuments law, the Work and
Welfare Act and the Disability Services Act

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Effects early DC operations
- Different opinions on whether the realised DC
operations had the desired effects
- Success in education and youth: possibilities of
customisation are increased, larger involvement of
citizens and local organisations and more efficient
execution of tasks
- However: it is questionable whether DC increases
policy freedom of municipalities. Central gvt. has
various instruments to exert power and influence on
task performance by lower administrative bodies.

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Current Decentralisation: 3 D’s
- Since 1 January 2015: largest decentralisation operation in
The Netherlands in the social policy domain.
- Nowadays the objectives of decentralisation are still the
same as in 1980: increasing efficiency, increasing
effectiveness and increasing democracy
- Municipalities are now almost fully responsible for providing
services to vulnerable citizens: 1) Labour Participation Act,
2) Social Support Act (persons with disabilities) and 3) Youth
Care
- This transfer of tasks from central to local goverment has
led to substantial savings in the total budget

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Challenges for local government
- More tasks, less budget and the challenge to
deliver tailor-made local services
- Decentralisation Child support: budget cut of
5%
- Decentralisation Social Support Act: budget cut
of 25%
- Especially smaller and medium-sized
municipalities lack capacity and expertise to
execute their legal tasks at acceptable costs

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Chances for local government
- For the first time one single party (municipalities)
gets full control over practically the entire social
domain. Possibility to create links between social
care, youth care and labour participation. Larger
focus on prevention, coordination in support
provision and higher efficiency
- More intense cooperation serving clients with
(multiple) problems, i.e. shared diagnosis and
approach.

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Current state of affairs
- Complaints from citizens about Social Support
Act: lack of information provision by
municipalities and absence of a decision on
applications for support
- Higher personal (financial) contribution,
resulting in citizens to completely forgo care
- Last year many municipalities procured
insufficient care for district-oriented counseling
and personal care: long waiting lists

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Current state of affairs II
- Last year municipalities unexpectedly saved 310
million € in total in the Social Support Act budget.
Explicit savings: day care, guidance and support
but also domestic help. Question whether
municipalities are not too economical with
assigning care and support
- Municipalities encounter difficulties with
determining legitimacy of expenditures of health
care suppliers: care givers have to wait for
reimbursement for a long time