Phase 1: Prepare Agenda Items

Context

A local government prepares agenda items - also called dossiers or draft decisions - separately. This is done by the assigned department(s) within that local government. It also happens that employees of the secretariat prepare agenda items that do not require specific knowledge, such as the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.

Step 1: prep agenda in Dutch

Governing Bodies

The agenda items are prepared for various governing bodies. In the application you log in as an employee of a Municipality, Autonomous Municipal Corporation or Province.

• Municipality (Gemeente)

  • City Council (Gemeenteraad)

  • Municipal College (CBS – College Burgemeester & Schepenen)

  • Mayor Autonomous (Burgemeester)

  • Autonomous Municipal Corporation (AGB – Autonoom Gemeentebedrijf)

• OCMW

  • Special Committee (Bijzonder comité)

  • Permanent Office (Vast Bureau)

• Province (Provincie)

  • Provincial Council (Provincieraad)

  • Deputation (Deputatie)

  • Autonomous Provincial Administration (APB – Autonoom Provinciebedrijf)

Content Agenda Item

Part	Information	Linked information	To be published in
Public title (in agenda item itself)	This title is used when publishing the extracts, minutes and decision lists.	Yes	Uittreksels, notulen, besluitenlijst
Brief public description (in agenda item itself)	Can give more information about the decision. Not every board does this, some copy the title. Used when publishing the excerpts, minutes and decision lists	Yes	Excerpts, minutes, decision list
Governing Body	What governing body is this about?	No	Minutes
Authorities	Through the citation plugin, the board enters the legal basis that determines that the body has jurisdiction.	Yes	Minutes, excerpts
Legal context	Through the citation plugin, the board enters the legal contexts that are related.	Yes	Minutes, excerpts
Rationale	The board submits the justifications.	No	Minutes, excerpts
Decision	The decision consists of one or more article(s).	Yes	Minutes, excerpts
Articles	An item consists of an item number and its contents.	Yes	Minutes, excerpts
Article number	Sequential numbers.	Yes	Minutes, excerpts
Article content	Content	Yes	Minutes, excerpts

Dutch visualisation of agendapoint

How does it work in Gelinkt Notuleren?

Our manual gives a clear view on how GN works [Dutch].

Gelinkt NotulerenHandleiding Gelinkt Notuleren

Roles

Roles It is important that each department and all secretarial staff have the role Writer here. This is set on the Gebruikersbeheer (User Management – ACM-IDM), usually by the IT service of the local government.

• Reader can view all agenda items.

• Writer can view and edit all agenda items.

Location

In Gelinkt Notuleren, files can be prepared in the Agendapunten (Agenda Items) tab. It is also possible to create a session directly and add agenda items there - but that is less flexible.

Example of overview of agenda items

Agenda items that were adjourned can be copied so they do not have to be rebuilt.

Een agendapunt kopiëren

Status

There are 3 statuses

• Concept (Draft) The agenda item is in preparation, but has not yet been linked to a session. The agenda item can be modified at any time.

• Geagendeerd (Planned) The item has been included in a preparation for a meeting. The agenda may still change, and the agenda item may be modified.

• Gepubliceerd (Published) The event has been linked to a meeting and has been published. The item cannot be modified anymore.

At this stage only Concept is applicable.

Templates (Sjablonen)

Example of templates

Whenever you start a new agenda item, you start with one of 2 generic templates: decisions (with an optional vote) and free text. Examples of agenda items:

• Decisions

  • Approving of minutes of the last session

  • Regulations

  • Announcements

• Free text

  • Discussion points

  • Varia

Style

We offer 2 styles for decisions:

• New style: uses headings to separate authorities, legal context and rationale. Some boards use additional headings, but we make no further distinction here.

• Classic style: use "gelet op (considering)" and "overwegende dat (whereas)" to separate legal context and rationale.