What you need to know as a Works Council member
A new education act, the Administrative Strengthening Act, gives works councils a stronger position in MBO. This law has been in force since last month. Are you on the works council of your school? Then it is useful to know what is changing.
The Works Council may approve the outline of the budget
An important change is that works councils must give approval on the main aspects of the budget. Works Council members can therefore have a say in the distribution of the money and how much, for example, goes to housing, investments or personnel.
Now it may be that there is a difference of opinion with the Executive Board about what the main points are. This can be prevented by agreeing that approval will be requested for the budget as a whole, as some universities of applied sciences do.
Which decisions can you see as the outline of the budget?
Main points of the multi-year financial policy
- Financial scope for strategic policy priorities (or postponement, reduction or termination of priorities) in the areas of education, research and operational management.
- Consent to the allocation resources / allocation model and framework letter and changes thereof
- Consent and change to the division of education, investments, reserves and personnel.
- Agreement on the distribution of budgets by type of education and the changes therein: VO, VAVO, VMBO, AOC and MBO
- Consent to the division of overhead and personnel for the primary process and change thereof
- The components that are mandatory in the continuity section of the annual report must also be included in the multi-year budget and these components require approval. The continuity section is a mandatory part of the annual report, but not a mandatory part of the budget.
- Naturally, the budget now describes a number of - but not all - subjects, such as future prospects, risks, etc. that are also included in the continuity section, but these are not compulsory elements in the budget. The continuity section does contain mandatory components.
- Major real estate decisions, including major housing and maintenance projects.
- Agreement on policy reserves.
Representation of the Works Council when appointing new directors and supervisors
When a new director is appointed, the selection committee includes representatives of the works council and the participants' council. The Works Council may also continue to advise on the appointment or dismissal of a director. From now on, supervisors and board members can only be appointed on the basis of profiles that have been made public. The Works Council has advisory rights on the profiles.
Twice consultations with the supervisory board
Plan two dates on which the works council can consult with the supervisory board. From now on, the Works Council must talk to the Supervisory Board twice a year. This discussion can be about strategic policy, the quality of education, future education, the functioning and remuneration of directors.
