Summary Introduction If policy remains unchanged, Rotterdam will be - - PDF document

Summary Introduction If policy remains unchanged, Rotterdam will be faced in the coming years with an ever growing group of underprivileged inhabitants. This is shown, for example, by the ‘Prognosis for Population Groups 2017’ published by the Centre for Research and Statistics (COS, July 2003). In response to this study, the debate in Rotterdam on population trends has recently intensified. It is being pointed out from different quarters that the city has reached the limits of its absorption capacity – and in some locations has in fact exceeded these limits – when it comes to receiving and supervising socially and economically underprivileged inhabitants and troublemakers. In certain districts of the city there is a continuing large influx of these groups, whereas there is an increasing trend for middle and higher income groups to leave these districts and the city. Furthermore, fewer new jobs are being generated than are necessary and the demand for care facilities is rising faster than the supply can cope with. Supplementary action programme In order to be able to reverse this trend, the Municipal Executive has now drawn up – as announced during an interpellation debate with the Municipal Council on 11 September 2003 – the supplementary action programme ‘Rotterdam continues, on the pathway to a balanced city’. With this programme, the Municipal Executive wishes to maintain and strengthen the course of the executive programme 2002-2006 towards new élan in Rotterdam. The Municipal Executive is hereby presenting a broad package of measures that can

• nly have a structural effect as a cohesive package and as a longer term project. The

main points are as follows:

• Together with the Dutch government, formulate a fully-fledged immigration

policy that combines stricter requirements for newcomers with more facilities for integration for those who are permitted to stay here.

• A stricter residence policy focused on retaining and attracting the desired residents

in threatened districts and better control of the underprivileged in the city, region and entire country.

• Investment in assimilation and integration, in care and supervision, education,

work and economy. The Municipal Executive firmly believes that this action programme can transform the negative trend in the city into a positive spiral. Rotterdam will once again become an attractive city to work and live in, visit and invest in. Extraordinary problems The action programme consists of two parts. The first part takes an analytical look at recent developments in the city. At the end of part I is an overview of all activities

• involved. In an agenda with the Dutch government there is a list of points that

Rotterdam wishes to discuss with the government, because the problems in Rotterdam are not unique to Rotterdam. The Dutch government - and other government authorities, organisations and citizens – will also have to make every effort to solve the problems. It is vital that the Dutch government recognises that the problems of Rotterdam are ‘extraordinary’; in other words that they transcend the average

problems of a large city and that what is needed for Rotterdam is not only money but also the possibility of more specific regulations for example. Five action plans Part II of the programme comprises five action plans, showing what impact the measures have on the different sub-sectors. Action Plan I – immigration, integration and citizenship – includes the following actions:

• Appeal to the Dutch government with regard to taking responsibility for a fully-

fledged policy on immigration;

• Continuation of the priority given to assimilation and extra resources from the

government in accordance with the size of the target-group of ‘oldcomers’;

• Subsidies granted to social organisations should be dependent on willingness to

cooperate with social placements and the degree to which activities contribute to contacts outside their own circles;

• The ‘People make the city’ campaign should be deployed in problem districts;
• In addition to assimilation, more priority should be given to integration and

citizenship. Action plan II deals with stricter residence policy. Rotterdam has been faced with selective immigration for some time now. Stricter residence policy is an answer to the demand for this trend to be deflected. The result of a more focused residence policy is a more balanced distribution of people with limited opportunities throughout the city, region and the country as a whole. ‘Residence’ policy has a broad significance: the Municipal Executive is also looking at push-and-pull factors that determine whether people wish to live in a specific district or move away from it. The action plan comprises numerous measures aimed at three main objectives:

• Retaining and attracting the desired residents in problem districts;

(for example by stimulating home ownership, extending allocation regulations according to income and size of household, holding on to highly educated starters, tackling the anti-social tenant, expansion of ‘hot-spot’ approach, housing stock with more quality and diversity, detection and prevention system for districts at risk of deterioration;

• Control of the influx of underprivileged groups in region, city and districts;

(for example by tightening up policy on family formation and removal of illegal immigrants, Antillean policy, use vacated asylum seekers’ centres to house problem juveniles and as temporary accommodation, exemption from the allotted task for status holders for municipalities in the Stadsregio, local customisation in allocation of housing, introduction of an admission criterion based on ‘income from work’, elimination of the magnetic effect of the basement housing market, tackling unscrupulous landlords and illegal subletting and reletting, linking and cleaning up files, clear communication concerning the measures);

• Better distribution of underprivileged groups over the city and region;

(for example through a regional housing market, extra regional supply of housing for special target-groups, cohesive regional buying, building and demolition scenario). Action plan 3 – tackling nuisance, illegality and crime – strengthens the utilisation of the municipal executive programme to achieve better safety and security in problem

• districts. In joint consultation with the police superintendent, the Dutch government

and the Public prosecutor, the Municipal Executive wishes for example to have:

• Investment in linking filing systems;
• Development of an integrated client-tracking system for several (criminal or

nuisance-causing) target-groups;

• The possibility of structured data exchange between partners and municipal

departments;

• Involvement of the general public in tackling crime and reducing nuisance
• Introduction of a general obligation to carry identification papers;
• Make illegal stay punishable by law;
• Tackle problems in issuing laissez-passers;
• Reward cooperative behaviour by those in custody;
• Priority enforcement by the Labour Inspectorate in respect of illegal business

activity. Action plan 4 is concerned with care, help and counselling. The Municipal Executive would like to see for example:

• Early detection of problems (one electronic file for juveniles);
• Smarter and consequently more effective use of capacity and resources;
• Organisation of special care for families with complex problems;
• Involvement of care chain in interventions in problem districts;
• Make large-scale reception possible with multidisciplinary approach for people

who land on the street as a result of repressive measures;

• Focus more attention on prevention;
• Projects for teenage mothers being organised from one central point;
• Communication focused on ‘participation’;
• Project ‘coaches’ from and for the inhabitants of Rotterdam as support for

integration and social cohesion. Action plan 5 provides an overview of specific and structural investments in economic development, education and work. This is important if Rotterdam is to recover a sustainable balance. Summarised, this action plan comprises the following proposals to refine and strengthen the programme:

• Together with trade & industry, the Municipal Executive will develop a new

economic vision aimed at strengthening the socio-economic infrastructure in the city and districts;

• Development of physical focal points and economic opportunity zones;
• Young people receiving social benefits should be obliged to study or work;
• Together with school managements and other organisations, concrete activities

should be drawn up to combat segregation in education and support positive initiatives;

• Development of a new multifunctional school
• Development of central management of accommodation for schools, starting in

the districts where this is most necessary;

• Continue with reintegration of the unemployed with the help of 10,000 personal

schemes a year and 40% outflow to regular jobs, also after 2004;

• Young people receiving a social benefit will carry out community work in their
• wn district;
• Putting ‘Work First’ into operation.

Appendices In conclusion, a number of appendices provide information on recent figures, the agenda with the Dutch government, organisation and communication, method of approach and starting points of the project group ‘Cement for the City’.