Judith Uitermark: “Good governance means, among other things, a government that listens to people, keeps its promises, delivers results, and gives more space and trust to citizens, professionals, and entrepreneurs. It takes the living environment of people as the starting point for thinking and acting. This requires a way of working that puts people at the center and involves good collaboration and decision-making at all levels of government.”

The national government, provinces, municipalities, and water authorities have been working together for some time to improve public governance. However, various challenges require ongoing commitment and attention. Consider the need for a good balance between ambitions, tasks, resources, and the execution capacity of municipalities. With additional funding in the Spring Memorandum, a solution has been found for the coming years; it is now up to the national government and municipalities to think about the period thereafter. Attention is also needed for the role of the region and the discussion about which tasks belong where. Sufficient policy freedom for municipalities must remain. All of this also has implications for politics and democracy; more tasks can lead to higher workloads for council members and aldermen. And residents have less visibility on what they are actually voting for.

The minister announces various actions to address these challenges. First, in the area of A service-oriented government that listens to residents. The focus is on better utilizing signals from people when making policy. Work is also being done on the accessibility and reach of government-wide services, including the establishment of government-wide counters where people can arrange their affairs. So far, such counters have been set up at 28 locations.

In working towards An agile government, the focus is on the feasibility of policies. A prerequisite is good intergovernmental collaboration, so that other governments are involved in policy-making in a timely manner. This includes intensifying the Government Consultation. Furthermore, the feasibility assessment for decentralized governments will play a larger role. Of course, attention is also given to available finances.

Thirdly, the focus is on A recognizable government, which means that tasks are taken on by the appropriate level of government. Specific attention is given to the role of the region, which is taking on more tasks while moving further away from the citizen and democratic decision-making. The minister is therefore working on a new policy framework for decentralized governance and a vision for regional cooperation.

Finally, the minister aims for a stronger democratic government, with representatives who can do their jobs well. This includes reducing their workload, making the position more attractive, and providing good support for audit chambers and councils.