The Social Domain Advisory Council is making a restart. Various causes – such as understaffing and the corona crisis – have prevented this council from doing its job properly.
“We want to be back for the community. Growing poverty is our top priority,” says Alberto Boon, who has been a member of the Advisory Council since April this year.
The Social Domain Advisory Council has been set up to provide the Municipal Executive with solicited and unsolicited advice on decisions on subjects that affect the social domain. This includes the Youth Act, the Social Planning Act and the Participation Act. Last week, in the committee meeting where the municipal budget was discussed, Boon drew attention to the fact that the Advisory Council has been revived.
Not on radar anymore
“We were no longer on the radar at the college. Corona has also played a role at the college and of course also the change of the college after the elections. But we mainly looked at ourselves. With twelve people we now have a lot of expertise in-house that we can get to work with. We thought the budget meeting was a good starting point for us to hear from you. Formally, we are an advisory body to the council, but we are free to have contact with any council faction.”
In addition, the council also has a so-called ‘bridging function’ between the citizenry and the council, says Boon. “One of our objectives is to enter into a dialogue with the citizens, preferably with the people who remain under the radar. The growing silent poverty does not pass the door of Meppel either. There is only one way to get in touch and that is to go out on the street, be visible and talk to people. Only in this way can we find out the underlying problem. There is a group that is relatively well in the picture, but the group that is not in the picture is all the more worrisome. It takes a lot of time investment to gain people’s trust and help them cross the threshold. Sometimes shame plays a role, but sometimes people consider their position so hopeless that they refrain from taking any care.”
Food Bank
Alberto Boon, for example, calls the food bank a place to talk to people. “First a conversation about how things are going, say that it is nice that they come and ask if they are still missing something. In this way, perhaps more can arise and, if desired and necessary, perhaps a follow-up phase.”
Boon also emphasizes that the Advisory Council would like to be involved at the forefront by politicians. “Preferably before the decisions. Two weeks ago, the city council decided to set the limit for the one-off energy allowance at an income of 120 percent of the social assistance standard. We were not asked anything, although this does affect the social domain. We have therefore made it clear in our public response that we want to stretch the boundaries a bit and would also like to talk to the municipal councilors.”