Challenges
Neighborhood Plans
A representative and workable overview of the need and wishes of all residents in The Hague
Description of challenge
Too often, the same residents, initiators and organizations are talking about what the residents of The Hague need. Therefore, we would like a representative overview of the wishes, problems and ideas of all residents. We must then be able to use this in municipality-wide, cross-departmental neighborhood implementation plans (WUPs). The mapping of this overview and the translation into policy must also be so transparent that both residents and municipal services can see exactly how they have arrived at certain decisions.
A large part of the neighborhood information is already available, but how do you collect the information from the eight districts and how do you make this clear? And what do you focus on when processing or visualizing the information?
What are we looking for?
Gain representative, clear and transparent insight into the needs, sentiments and priorities of the neighborhood. The focus is on transparently connecting the data and being able to draw conclusions about the needs and wishes of the neighborhood. In addition to the “usual suspects”, ideas of those who do not attend residents’ meetings must also be heard.
What are we not looking for?
We are not looking for a new way to retrieve information; Dialogue with neighborhood residents is already taking place in the various city districts (including online/offline conversations, residents’ meetings and contact with front-line staff who visit the neighborhoods of the eight districts of The Hague on a daily basis). We are also not looking for a new neighborhood communication tool.
Stakeholders
1. Neighborhood residents
2. Initiators
3. Public Affairs and other services: DSB, DSO, OCW, SZW, BSD
4. Organizations in the neighborhood: entrepreneurs, schools, religious institutions, welfare organizations, etc.
More information
Making policy together with the City is one of the spearheads: “In the coming four years, the new city council of The Hague will work on the city of the future. But, we cannot and do not want to do that alone. This city government listens, seeks dialogue and cooperates with the city. We realize that the policy of the municipality often directly influences the lives of residents. This means that residents must also be able to influence this. So we are going to do it together with the city: with Hagenaars and Hagenezen, Loosduiners, Scheveningeners and expats. And therefore not only from the City hall, but specifically from neighborhoods.” (The Hague, City of Opportunities and Ambitions Coalition Agreement 2018 – 2022, page 9).