Nick Thijs Public Management Institute University of Leuven - Belgium The Flemish local government Network on Quality CAF Training Event "the Common Assessment framework in action" Maastricht (NL), November 2006

The Flemish local government Network on Quality The Flemish local government Network on Quality “Sharing of ideas in local government” Content – Facts & Figures – Context & History – Aims & Targets – Activities – Results – Future – Tips & Tricks

Facts & Figures Belgium federal country: – 3 regions (Flemish, Walloon and Brussels) – 3 communities (Flemish, French, German) – 10 provinces – 589 municipalities (308 Flemish municipalities) – public centres for social welfare

Context & History (1) – Growing dynamics in local government New rules concerning personnel policy (1999) Several rules on strategic planning Quality decree for the public centres for social welfare New decree on local government (2005) – Spread of the quality movement Belgian quality conferences Initiatives in several municipalities and public centres for social welfare … – Training and education for local government – Need and explicit question for sharing and networking

Context & History (2) Problem –Few opportunities to meet –No structural framework for meetings Need: –Sharing of ideas and experiences –Sharing of good practices –Sharing of information “Bench learning” NETWORK

Aims & targets – Informal framework – Bench learning – Sharing of knowledge and experience – Forum – First step in quality management – Supporting the current dynamic

Activities – Network meetings (2 a 3 year) – Informal contacts between members – Conference on quality in local government – Website Bench learning sharing dynamic /sharing sharing

« Resultats» –Network 40 organisations –2005: 1st Conference on quality in local government (340 participants) –2006: 2e Conference on quality in local government (250 participants) (also in English) : 3rd Conference on quality in local government (250 participants) –

Future – increasing the Network – building portal website (reference on quality management public sector) – conferences supporting the dynamic – « product oriented» network meetings

Tips & Tricks + Network easy for « bench learning » + People meet partners/companions + Network internal possibility in big organisations = « Taking » is o.k., BUT also « giving » (Two-way-traffic) = Ambition to results “from sharing experiences to striving for concrete results” -continuity through structural security and legitimacy

NICK THIJS – Public Management Institute - University of Leuven Parkstraat Leuven Belgium