News item | 4/19/2023 | 14:32
Mayors and ministers came together today to discuss the joint commitment to the National Liveability and Security Programme. Together with local partners, the government will make structural efforts in the coming years to improve the lives of 1.3 million Dutch people in the most vulnerable neighborhoods in the Netherlands. € 35 million has been reserved for the use of energy fixers.
Minister Hugo de Jonge: ‘The quality of life is under pressure in these neighbourhoods. To break through the accumulation of problems, we must improve the living situation, among other things. By training energy fixers in the neighborhood we kill three birds with one stone: sustainability, tackling energy poverty and guiding people to the labor market.’
On behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, Minister Karien van Gennip adds: ‘A job offers perspective, gives self-confidence and contributes to society. This is particularly important in neighborhoods where the quality of life is under pressure. That’s why training energy fixers is a good idea. In addition, I will continue to work on reforming the labor market, so that workers have more security about work and income.’
Train local energy fixers
The mayors present proposed using part of the available government resources for energy poverty to train ‘energy fixers’ in the neighborhoods themselves. This not only works on making homes more sustainable before next winter, but can also help job seekers in the neighborhood to enter the labor market. The ministers responded positively to this proposal. The central government previously released an accelerated € 200 million to combat energy poverty in the Netherlands. Of this, €35 million has been specifically reserved for the 20 urban focus areas of the National Liveability and Safety Programme. Part of this € 35 million can now be spent on training energy fixers. Energy fixers help vulnerable households in rental and owner-occupied homes to reduce their energy consumption in the short term by means of energy advice and small to medium-sized energy-saving measures.
Integral approach
In addition, the mayors and ministers discussed, among other things, how the funding stream from the government for municipalities can be set up more integrally. Currently, different budgets often go to municipalities in separate flows. The government is looking at how the applications, monitoring and accountability of government resources can be simplified for municipalities.
National Liveability and Security Programme
The mayors and ministers came together in the context of the National Liveability and Safety Programme. This program focuses on improving conditions in 20 ‘urban focus areas’ in 19 cities. Quality of life and safety are under pressure in these areas. Problems in the areas of education, poverty, health, housing and safety are piling up. The government wants to tackle this problem together with municipalities and their local partners and residents. With the National Quality of Life and Safety Programme, various ministries are investing to tackle the accumulation of problems.
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