Mayors must also make a September statement

In such a statement, the mayor must outline the plans of the administration for the coming year and the related expenditure. Before the vote on the long-term budget, a debate can take place about what the board does and does not do. Unlike the Flemish government, this usually takes place at a local level in November or December.

Municipalities must also make an overview of the financial key figures, such as the deficit, debts, personnel expenditure or allocations to the police, on an A4 sheet. In addition, it must be clear at a glance to what extent expenditures or debts have increased. The municipalities must also provide a more complete picture of all expenditure, such as for poverty or employment policy. In particular, the government asks for transparency about how much money goes to intermunicipal companies.

In the first place, the reform should help municipal councilors better perform their control task, but for Flemish Minister of the Interior Bart Somers (Open VLD) it is also a “further professionalization that prepares local authorities to take on more powers”.