Letting residents of a village or neighborhood decide for themselves what needs to be done in their area and giving money for it. In 2016, an experiment was started in Emmen under the name citizen budget. It stopped, but the municipality must get back to that very quickly, says Wytse Bouma, chairman of Wijkbelangen Emmerhout.
In an urgent letter to the city council, you insist on the return of the citizen’s budget. Why?
“I think it’s a shame that Emmen has put an end to the citizen’s budget. At the town hall you hear nothing but that the municipality wants to involve residents more in their own living environment. The citizens’ budget, which was started in 2016 in both the Emmerhout district and the village of Nieuw-Dordrecht, is a wonderful instrument for this. Not just talking about things, but actually realizing things with people from your own living environment.”
Can you explain it a little more?
,,Certainly. Every village and every neighborhood in Emmen has always received an annual amount based on the number of inhabitants, which the village or neighborhood association can spend on projects that increase the quality of life. The citizens’ budget was added in 2016 as an experiment in Emmerhout and Nieuw-Dordrecht. The idea here is that residents themselves can put forward ideas for their district or village and that the entire village or district can vote on them. The initiators of plans with the most support must then also help with the implementation.
And that worked well in Emmerhout?
“Yes, I think so. Together we have shown that we can organize the process of distributing and spending money excellently. The construction of the sports square at the shopping center is an eye-catching successful initiative. But what about the Street Art Festival earlier this month? Seven boring walls in the neighborhood are painted in a beautiful way. Also something that arose from the citizens’ budget. Also nice: projects for extra green zones in the neighborhood, for greater biodiversity. And what do you think of a book about the neighborhood, which is still being worked on?
So a lot got off the ground?
,,Yes. But that’s not the full story. Interim evaluations have also shown that residents’ involvement in their neighborhood has increased. Funds were also enthusiastic, because several times they made a contribution available to implement a plan. A euro from the citizens’ budget sometimes turned out to be worth much more. Of course there were also projects that never got off the ground, such as a petting zoo or an experience garden. These plans remained just an idea. Plans that were not carried out therefore cost nothing.”
When did the municipality turn off the money tap?
,,In 2020, because of cutbacks. Because little could be organized during that period due to corona, we were left with about 60,000 euros. We paid for Street Art Festival, among other things. Now about 40,000 euros remain. A new round with the district will follow in the autumn on how to spend this money. If the municipality does not make new money available after that, then the citizens’ budget is gone. And that while the municipality was always enthusiastic about us. At the opening of the Street Art Festival, Councilor Dewy Leal also praised how this project was handled.”
Why didn’t you send an urgent letter to the city council together with Nieuw-Dordrecht?
“That did not occur to us. Since corona broke out and the municipality turned off the money tap, we have had little or no contact with Nieuw-Dordrecht about the citizen’s budget.