Organisational structure
The LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost was founded in 2007 in compliance with the Austrian Association Act 2002 and since then it has acted as the basic structure and carrier of the LEADER programme in the eastern Weinviertel. Since the end of May 2015, the LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost is also recognised as a Local Action Group (LAG) for the implementation period 2014-2020.
The Local Action Group (LAG) regards itself as a balanced and representative selection of partners from different socio-economic sectors and it comprises the different members. The 58 municipalities, which also define the area of the LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost as a whole, are considered ordinary members. Delegates of the member municipalities are in the public sector. Representatives of civil society complement and enrich the LAG as extraordinary members. They also represent the thematic and socio-economic diversity of the region.
The most important committees of the LEADER region are the General Meeting, the Executive Board of the Association and the Project Selection Committee (PSC).
The General Meeting
The General Meeting is the supreme decision-making body of the association. The Ordinary General Meeting takes place at least annually. All members of the LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost are permitted to participate. The delegates from among the extraordinary and the ordinary members are entitled to vote. The latter appoints the Regional Council. Guidelines concerning the number and allocation of delegates ensure that thresholds which are relevant for decision-making (proportion of public representatives, proportion of civil society, proportion of women, etc.) are respected.
The Executive Board
The Executive Board consists of 8 persons, who are selected by the General Meeting. The Executive Board serves as a management body and it consists of a chairperson, two deputy chairmen, the treasurer, the deputy treasurer, the secretary, the deputy secretary and a additional board member. In order to perform the tasksof the Executive Board and, in particular, to implement the LAG management of the LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost, the Executive Board uses the LEADER management (office team) of the region.
The Project Selection Committee (PSC)
The Project Selection Committee of the LEADER Region Weinviertel Ost consists of 21 persons and it makes its decisions in terms of the implementation of the local development strategy, and on the basis of the related rules of procedure, using non-discriminatory and transparent selection procedures and objective criteria during specially convened meetings and/or in writing or by electronic means.
Like the LAG itself, this committee is a balanced and representative selection of partners from different socio-economic sectors of the region. The composition of the Project Selection Committee ensures that neither public institutions, nor other interest groups can hold more than 49% of votes. The members of the Project Selection Committee are appointed in accordance with these guidelines from the General Meeting. Nine of the 21 seats in the Project Selection Committee are reserved exclusively for women and another nine seats are exclusively reserved for men. The remaining three seats are occupied without taking special account of gender.
