Municipal finance
The Municipality of Kerkrade uses a set schedule to plan and manage municipal money. This is called the financial cycle.
This cycle begins with creating a budget: a plan that states how much money is needed and for what.
During the year, the municipality reviews whether everything is going well. At the end of the year, the municipality produces an annual financial statement. This shows what has been done with the money.
Financial cycle
Currently in progress: Coalition Agreement
At the beginning of an administrative period, the parties forming the coalition together create a coalition agreement.
This is a political document. It is the outline agreement that the coalition will work with during an administrative period, in this case the period 2022-2026. It forms the basis of the college program.
Currently in progress: College Program
The college elaborates the content of the coalition agreement in a college program.
The college program is an administrative document. In this document, the College of Mayor and Aldermen states what it will do and what it wants to achieve in the coming years. It is a working document for the college.
Currently in progress: Budget
The budget is prepared around the summer and adopted by the City Council no later than mid-November. In addition to the financial data, the budget also contains the policy priorities for the current years.
In the budget, the council states what it wants to achieve for the city, what needs to be done to achieve it and how much it will cost. In the meeting in which the budget is adopted, the political groups represented on the council express their general considerations. These general considerations can be found in the minutes of the relevant council meeting on the administrative information website.
The reflections will then be adopted at one of the following council meetings.
Currently in progress: executive report
Halfway through the year, the Administrative Report (BURAP) reports on the status of various municipal activities and projects.
Currently in progress: financial statements
After the end of the year, the Annual Accounts are made. In the Financial Statements, the college explains to the council what happened to the previous year's money. The council can then see if the college used the money as was agreed upon in the budget. The city council checks whether the college has acted properly and wisely. And whether the college has done what was agreed upon, and the goals have actually been met. The adoption of the Annual Accounts must take place before mid-July.