Vision, tasks and position

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Vision

• The higher ambition: 'Co-operating with all municipalities, VNG stands tall for the empowerment and quality of local government'
• The daring ambition: 'VNG sets the trend in local government, attaining visible results for local councils, local executive boards and local officials.’

Tasks

• Representing the Members' Interests
  As the principal representative of all Dutch municipalities, VNG promotes and discusses the associations' interests with the central government, parliament, the European institutions and other public organisations. Vice versa, these institutions consult with the association frequently. Furthermore, VNG represents the interests of its members in negotiations on collective labour agreements with unions of local government personnel.
  
  
• Provision of services
  VNG's specialised departments offer a multitude of services to the members. Yearly, these departments process tens of thousands of requests for advice on municipal topics. VNG is the principal resource for advice on local government issues in The Netherlands. Among the most valued services are the model by-laws, which can be adapted to particular circumstances by each member.
  
  
• Providing information to the members
  VNG keeps its members informed of developments that are of interest to them. This is done primarily through the weekly publication VNG Magazine, digital newsletters (also especially for elected councillors) and circulars. On a daily basis, members are informed online through our website, the digital highway for communication with our members. Finally, VNG continuously produces in-depth publications on specific topics.
  
  
• Facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experience
  Each year, numerous conferences are organised on a variety of topics, offering local representatives (emphasizing mayors, aldermen and local councillors) and local officials a forum for the peer-to-peer exchange of ideas. The annual VNG General Assembly, which highlights a particular aspect of municipal practice each year, is recognised as the most important convention for local elected representatives and officials in the Netherlands. New phenomen are special-occasion-general-assemblies during which the VNG-membership can speak out opinions about important local government issues.

Position
The VNG is the organisation for municipalities. Consultation with the three other layers of government (central government, provinces and waterships) takes place on a regular basis. The twelve provinces in the Netherlands have their own organisation: the Permanent Inter Provincial Consultation (IPO). Dutch waterships are organised in the Union of Waterships (UvW). There is also regular consultation with nearly all ministries of central government in The Hague with the purpose to promote the interests of municipalities.