1. The Netherlands Charter Group for Public Accountability Multiple modes of accountability By Roeland in ‘t Veld Chairman Audit Committee

2. Contact www.publiekverantwoorden.nl Roelintveld@hotmail.com

3. Presentation Accountability: practice and questions The Netherlands Charter Group: members and mission The Charter Group is a centre of practical expertise Themes of Public Accountability Good Governance Code The learning process of the Charter Group: audits Questions

4. Members Semi-autonomous and non-autonomous public service providers; agencies under public and private law Mission HPV The Charter Group sets the norms for Public Accountability for public service providers. The Charter Group secures that its members open up to their environment.

5. Realising and renewing public governance model in organisational strategy and operations. Vertical Accountability to owner/ contractor Horizontal Accountability to wider environment Vertical and horizontal accountability supplement, not substitute each other Good Governance Code Learning by auditing the implementation of the Public Governance of members Charter Group’s Goals

6. -Serving both legitimacy and effectiveness -Horizontal and vertical -Three arguments: - Reporting - Explaining (and if necessary apologising) - Reframing -Additional possible results: learning Accountability in general

7. 1.Quality - Public criteria - Public measurements - Operation of Quality system 2.Price/service fulfilment - Fulfilling contract - Information on contract fulfilment - Internal and external audit of contract Public Accountability’s 4 themes (1)

8. 3.Responsive action and participation - Actively reaching out to clients / wider environment - Honouring policy goals of principal/ societal developments - Accountability on organizational translation of policy goals 4.Transparency - Actively giving insight in organization - Insight on demand - Pro-actively informing the wider environment 4 themes (2)

9. -Publications, brochures, pamphlets, advertising, websites, etc.. -Client panels, councils, etc.. -Quality control systems with stakeholder participation -Public meetings -Help desks, call centres, internet communication -Etc., etc. Instruments for horizontal accountability

10. Start: Self evaluation by service provider - Where am I on a quality scale concerning the four themes? - What is organizational ambition on these theme’s? Audits:Learning and Improving 1 Audit: Evaluation by independent audit committee - Document research - Interviews with internal and external stakeholders - Public report with findings and recommendations - Formal reaction audited organization

11. -Securing findings - In organizational strategy - In governance - Policy Management - P&C Cycle - Quality Policy and Control - Vertical Accountability - Public Accountability Learning and Improving 2 -Repeating the Audit each 5 years

12. -Relatively simple and inexpensive instrument -High managerial/ governmental / scientific level of audit committee -Added value to vertical accountability -Focus on learning -Added value to organizational performance / public service providing -Agencies very responsive, both to voices in horizontal accountability and to audit recommendations 10 years of auditing experience

13. -Audit results and positioning on quality scales drives internal discussion and ‘sets watches’ -Wider horizontal environment is extremely committed -Effective mirroring of results -External partners/ contractors refer to audit in contracts -Audit on added value by Audit committee in next audit -Collective learning by members Added Value for Public Services

14. -Publishing of Organizational Strategy (Land Registry Office and Government Road Transport Office) -Strategy on client participation (Social Insurance Bank) -Intense Strategy Implementation (Healthcare Insurance Board) -General: Transparency is an internalised characteristic of the members Some results of Audits

15. -Better understanding by clients -Stronger position in dialogues with political principals But also: -More jealousy (lack of pride) in the ministries concerned -Fear on the side of politicians that agencies develop strong relationships with clients -No better position in budget cuts than others Results of horizontal accountability 1

16. -Reporting: clear positive results -Explaining: positive results with clients but unfavourable side effects in relation with political principal -Reframing: ????????????????????? Results of horizontal accountability 2

17. www.publiekverantwoorden.nl Ham@publiekverantwoorden.nl