Our residents' organization had by-laws until recently and is in transition to another model. No general governance code is available for a neighborhood residents' organization. Therefore, Bovenkerk Foundation follows the 2019 governance model of culture. This takes shape according to eight principles, which are divided into four categories. Here you will also find our annual report, neighborhood activity plan and privacy statement.

Creating value for and in society

First principle
The Foundation Bovenkerk has a social objective and focuses on the residents in district Bovenkerk of the municipality of Amstelveen. To this end, it aims to increase the well-being and livability of residents by adding social value:

  • it promotes social cohesion, social relationships, resident initiatives, volunteerism and neighborly help,
  • it is active in achieving a healthy living environment and
  • it encourages a healthy personal lifestyle.
  • It is responsible for the operation of a building, which meets the need for spaces for the activities and services in the social, philosophical, cultural and recreational fields

Second principle
This is a small organization structured according to the board model and there is no supervisory board. The board consists of a chairman, a treasurer, a secretary and one or more members. The board meets at least 4 times a year and minutes are recorded. Annually, a multi-year district activity plan is prepared with the focal points for the coming year and an annual report with financial statements for the past year. Publication of the district activity plan and annual report via the website www.notabenebovenkerk.nl.

Daily board of the Residents' Platform Bovenkerk

Day-to-day operations are managed by the Executive Board of the Residents' Platform Bovenkerk:

  1. The Residents' Platform shall elect from among its members an Executive Board (DB) of at least five persons. The chairman shall be elected in office; the other duties shall be divided among themselves. 
  2. The DB prepares three resident platform meetings and takes care of ongoing business. 
  3. DB members serve three-year terms and are eligible for immediate re-election. 
  4. The DB does not assume the rights and duties of any individual citizen or resident group unless specifically requested by those stakeholders. 
  5. The finances of the residents' platform consist of subsidies from the municipality of Amstelveen and a contribution from local sponsors for special events and actions to finance expenses incurred. The application and justification of the subsidies is done by the foundation Bovenkerk. 
  6. Expenditures for the residents' platform, within the limits of the grants mentioned in e., are made as follows: 
    • under €100 decide chairman and secretary of the DB; 
    • from €100 to €500, the DB decides;
    • above € 1,000, the board decides Foundation Bovenkerk.

The residents' platform Bovenkerk

  1. The residents' platform consists of the residents.
  2. As a rule, the Residents' Platform meets informatively 3 times a year. The Occupants Platform meets on the basis of an agenda. Residents can submit agenda items until the agenda is adopted at the meeting. The Upper Church residents present form the platform that makes statements by consensus or majority vote on the items on the agenda. However, these are not decisions. Decisions are made by the board of the Bovenkerk Foundation . The public meeting will be announced at least one week in advance, stating relevant agenda items.
  3. In order to properly handle issues that require a lot of preparation in the residents' platform, the platform can set up a working group. The working group shall report to the Board and the Residents' Platform. Correspondence from working groups to persons or agencies shall be submitted to the chairman or secretary of the DB for signature.
  4. Once a year, finances come on the agenda.

More information can be found at the links below:

Foundation Bovenkerk jaar report 2020

Foundation Bovenkerk neighborhood activity plan 2021

Acting with integrity and role awareness

Third principle
For financial administration, the Foundation uses a "4-eye principle. That is, all financial transactions are carried out by the treasurer with control by another board member, being the treasurer and secretary or president. The treasurer prepares the financial statements. A cash audit committee then checks cash and bank books. The annual report and district activity plan must be approved by the board.

Fourth principle
Directors are aware of their own roles and the mutual division of duties, responsibilities and powers and act accordingly. Other than the 4-eye principle and control of cash and bank books, no managerial supervisory measures are in place.

Careful governance

The fifth principle
The board is responsible for the overall direction, operation and results of the organization. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the Residents' Platform Bovenkerk.

Residents who wish to develop a non-commercial initiative can approach the Residents' Platform for (financial) support and deployment of the communication platform "www.notabenebovenkerk.nl". Some initiatives arise from within the organization of the Residents' Platform Bovenkerk and then a working group is formed. Working groups can occupy a temporary or permanent structure in the platform.

Three times a year the residents of the district Bovenkerk are kept informed of all that is going on in the district by a door-to-door newspaper "Nota Bene Bovenkerk distributed to about 1,250 addresses. A widely read, 111 issues have already been published. Much information with a calendar of activities can be found on the website www.notabenebovenkerk.nl. Through the website, e-mail newsletters are sent to more than 800 subscribers. Social media is also used, including Facebook and Twitter.

The sixth principle
The board handles the organization's people and resources carefully and responsibly. The board has adopted rules regarding the General Data Protection Regulation (AVG) and taken measures to protect donors' personal data

More information can be found at the links below:

Privacy statement

Exercising good supervision

The seventh principle
The Bovenkerk Foundation is a small organization and does not need an oversight body such as a supervisory board.

The eighth principle
If there is any doubt in the board about the laws and regulations used, a legal expert is consulted.

Annually in October, the retirement schedule is discussed and any new board members are recruited. The division of duties between them is also discussed and established.