The institutional and personal drivers of council scrutiny. A survey analysis of Dutch local government

Council scrutiny constitutes an indispensable prerequisite for democratic, constitutional and effective government. This study draws on a multivariate regression analysis of survey data obtained from Dutch local councillors (N = 1,514) to elucidate the conditions under which councillors become active scrutineers. In this context, active scrutiny refers to councillors' self-reported aggregate contribution to holding the executive to account, policy development and review, best value and performance management, external scrutiny and budget review. The findings reveal that councillors' intrinsic attitudes and capabilities, supported by the council's institutional capacity, play a pivotal role. Councillors must be willing to scrutinise the government as an initial step. However, to subdue the council's inherent political scrutiny logic, we find that furnishing councils with autonomous administrative support, party group assistance and solid training can be forceful compensatory mechanisms. In this way, the interplay of personal and institutional drivers contributes to achieving a vital and sound political system underpinned by council scrutiny

Business · Government (linguistics · Institutional analysis · Local government · Political science · Scrutiny · Social science · Sociology · Law · Public Administration

• Inter-Municipal Cooperation in Europe

  Open Access•Filipe Teles, Paweł Swianiewicz•Inter-Municipal Cooperation in…•2018

  Incluir item

• Holding Power to Account

  Open Access•Richard Mulgan•Holding Power to Account•2003

  Incluir item

• Leadership At The Apex

  Poul Erik Mouritzen, James H Svara•Leadership At The Apex•2002

  Incluir item

• Parliamentary Democracy and Delegation

  Kaare W Strøm, Kaare Strom•Delegation and accountability in…•2003

  Incluir item

• Delegation and its Perils

  Arthur Lupia•Delegation and accountability in…•2003

  Incluir item

• Applying Post-Legislative Scrutiny to the Analysis of Legislation and SDGs in South and Southeast Asia

  Open Access•Franklin De Vrieze, Fotios Fitsilis•Journal of Southeast Asian Human…•2020

  Incluir item

• Public Accounts Committees in the Commonwealth

  Riccardo Pelizzo•Commonwealth and Comparative…•2011

  Incluir item

• Creating an index of local autonomy – theoretical, conceptual, and empirical issues

  Andreas Ladner, Nicolas Keuffer•Regional & Federal Studies•2018

  Incluir item

• Scrutiny and the Political Party Group in UK Local Government

  Open Access•Steve Leach, Colin Copus•Public Administration•2004

  Incluir item

• Does Public Accountability Work? An Assessment Tool

  Open Access•Mark Bovens, Thomas Schillemans et al.•Public Administration•2008

  Incluir item

• Scrutiny in English Local Government and the Role of Councillors

  Open Access•Andrew Coulson•The Political Quarterly•2011

  Incluir item

• Local Government Modernisation

  Open Access•Michael Cole•The Political Quarterly•2001

  Incluir item

• Developing an index of EX-Post parliamentary oversight of public finance

  Rick Stapenhurst, Kerry Jacobs et al.•Journal of Legislative Studies•2019

  Incluir item

• Members of parliament and governments in western Europe

  Open Access•Thomas Saalfeld•European Journal of Political…•2000

  Incluir item

• Conditions for Legislative Control

  Seymour Scher•The Journal of Politics•1963

  Incluir item

• Reputation and Accountability Relationships

  Open Access•Madalina Busuioc, Martin Lodge•Public Administration Review•2016

  Incluir item

• Policy Development and Legislative Oversight in Council Manager Cities

  Cortus T Koehler•Public Administration Review•1973

  Incluir item

• Evaluating and Theorising Committee Scrutiny

  Michael S Cole, Michael Cole et al.•Local Government Studies•2015

  Incluir item

• Toothless Tigers? Councillor Perceptions of New Scrutiny Arrangements in Welsh Local Government

  Rachel Ashworth•Local Government Studies•2003

  Incluir item

• Strengthening the Councillor as a Representative and Scrutiniser

  Merel De Groot, Bas Denters et al.•Local Government Studies•2010

  Incluir item

• Scrutinising council scrutiny

  Tom Verhelst, Klaartje Peters•Local Government Studies•2024

  Incluir item

• Executive and Scrutiny Reforms

  Michael Cole•Local Government Studies•2001

  Incluir item

• Scrutiny and policymaking in local councils

  Open Access•Simon Otje, Marijn Nagtzaam et al.•Local Government Studies•2023

  Incluir item

• Strategies used by Health Scrutiny Committees to Influence Decision-makers

  A Boyd, A Coleman•Local Government Studies•2011

  Incluir item

• An Overview of Scrutiny

  Rachel Ashworth, Stephanie Snape•Local Government Studies•2004

  Incluir item

• Overseeing Oversight

  Open Access•Morris S Ogul, Bert A Rockman•Legislative Studies Quarterly•1990

  Incluir item

• Legislative-Executive Relations and Legislative Oversight

  Open Access•Bert A Rockman•Legislative Studies Quarterly•1984

  Incluir item

• Legislative Behavior and Legislative Oversight

  Open Access•Alan Rosenthal•Legislative Studies Quarterly•1981

  Incluir item

• The Accountability Cube

  Gijs Jan Brandsma, Thomas Schillemans•Journal of Public Administration…•2013

  Incluir item

• Oversight Effectiveness and Political Will

  Riccardo Pelizzo, Rick Stapenhurst•Journal of Legislative Studies•2014

  Incluir item

• Legislative Oversight in the UkrainianRada

  Irina Khmelko, Irina S Khmelko et al.•Journal of Legislative Studies•2011

  Incluir item

• Evidence-informed or value-based? exploring the scrutiny of legislation in the UK Parliament

  Philip Begley, Catherine Bochel et al.•Journal of Legislative Studies•2019

  Incluir item

• Q&A in legislative oversight

  Open Access•Adina Maricut-Akbik•European Journal of Political…•2021

  Incluir item

• The Scrutineer

  Open Access•Stephanie Snape, Lynn Dobbs•Public Policy and Administration•2003

  Incluir item