News item | 09-05-2023 | 09:19
Civil servants, administrators and representatives of the people work for our society in the public interest. Integrity is an indispensable foundation for this. In order to act with integrity, in addition to one’s own moral compass, knowledge is also required about the (legal) framework that applies to decentralized governance. To support political office holders of local authorities and political parties in this respect, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) has bundled the existing legislation, rules and other available information in the Integrity Handbook. The first copy was handed over by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Hanke Bruins Slot to the mayor of Culemborg, Gerdo van Grootheest. He was chairman of the supervisory committee under whose responsibility the Handbook was created.
Minister Hanke Bruins Slot: ‘An ethical board is something we all work hard on every day. Integrity is an attitude and a quality that you can continue to develop, for example by discussing the subject more often. This handbook provides an overview of various supporting instruments that can stimulate this discussion about integrity in practice.’
More overview
The desire for more overview of existing rules, instruments and information also came from practice. By bringing all information together, this handbook makes the rules and procedures regarding integrity transparent and easy to find. For example, information about the period prior to the appointment of political office holders can now be found in one place: the recruitment and selection phase in which the screening takes place. Important integrity issues are also discussed that require constant attention: such as conflicts of interest, prohibited actions, secondary positions and tendering. There is also a section that deals with (dealing with) integrity violations and the various phases and aspects of integrity investigations. Model codes of conduct and other more practical tools are also included in the handbook. For example, so-called dilemma cards that administrators and civil servants can use to discuss integrity.
Mayor Gerdo van Grootheest: “A government that you have confidence in consists of political office holders that you have confidence in and who therefore have integrity. It is good that the government has now conveniently listed all the practical steps you can take for the other authorities. It is also valuable that the various interest groups of the decentralized authorities have been involved in the sounding board group in the creation of the handbook.”
Keep current
This first version of the handbook was created in collaboration with a supervisory committee led by mayor Gerdo van Grootheest, representatives of professional and interest groups of the decentralized administration and experts from the professional field. The handbook remains up-to-date by regularly making adjustments based on (policy) developments and by including new information. This is always done in collaboration with stakeholders from the field. For example, the handbook is supplemented from time to time with good examples, tips and pitfalls from practice and the subject remains topical.