Municipality of Teylingen invests more in future-proof management of public spaces

The way our public spaces are used has changed drastically in recent years. While roads, pavements and underground infrastructure were relatively lightly burdened in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, we now face more people, increased traffic movements and heavier vehicles. In addition, the energy transition, housing construction and changing lifestyles are playing an increasingly significant role.

At the same time, the quality of public spaces has been under pressure for years. Many roads, bridges and sewer systems are nearing the end of their service life. These developments call for a different approach to management and maintenance: no longer reacting only when something breaks down, but anticipating, planning in good time and investing at the right moment. This way, we can prevent unexpected costs, limit inconvenience for residents and reduce risks to safety and liveability. To organise this effectively and in a future-proof manner, the municipality needs to be strengthened.

Deputy Reny Wietsma: “An accessible public space is not a luxury, but a prerequisite for equal participation. If we fail to keep our outdoor spaces in good order, we exclude people who are most dependent on a safe and barrier-free environment: the elderly, people with disabilities and, ultimately, each and every one of us. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities not only obliges us to monitor this, but to take active measures. With an integrated approach, we can combine management and maintenance with opportunities for greening, climate adaptation and biodiversity. Public space is the foundation of a liveable municipality. By managing proactively rather than only repairing, we protect and strengthen that quality — today and for the generations to come.”

Pleasant living with good facilities

The municipality continues to invest not only in new construction sites, but also in maintaining existing neighbourhoods so that residents can continue to live comfortably with good facilities. This means attention to both green spaces and the quality of sewer systems, roads and safe, well-lit pedestrian crossings. In the municipal council and during formative sessions, much attention has been paid to this in recent times, including in projects such as the renovation of the Koudenhoornbrug and Herenweg in Warmond, the HOV connection in Voorhout and the upgrading of the roundabouts near Van der Valk and Verschoor in Sassenheim. Preparations are also underway to address waterlogging in the Bomenbuurt and Planetenwijk in Sassenheim. This way, we are gradually working towards future-proof and safe residential neighbourhoods.

End of service life

Public spaces may often look neat and well-maintained at first glance, but technically, there is much more at play. For example, sewer pipes, cables and conduits lie underground, and bridges have complex structures. We want roads without flying stones and bumps. This means that maintenance and replacement will be necessary in the coming years to prevent problems. This is also evident from the inspections carried out. Increasingly, more is needed to guarantee the condition of public spaces, and in some cases, it turns out that the technical service life can no longer be extended. To carry out this work carefully, efficiently and with as little inconvenience as possible, a well-considered plan is essential.

What does this mean for the future?

This strengthening is urgently needed because the challenges in management and maintenance have increased significantly in recent years. The growing maintenance backlog, combined with ageing infrastructure and more complex societal challenges, means that current capacity is no longer sufficient.

In 2023, the audit office examined how Teylingen manages the maintenance of roads, green spaces, bridges and other municipal facilities. They made several recommendations to better organise long-term maintenance and replacement. One of the recommendations was to develop management plans.

To actually take the step towards proactive and future-oriented management, it is essential that the team has sufficient staff and expertise. This means we need to:

• gain a more complete and accurate picture of service life, risks and replacement timings;
• develop multi-year plans for each aspect of public space (roads, bridges, green spaces, sewer systems, lighting);
• plan and prioritise more effectively so that available resources can be used more efficiently;
• manage in a future-proof manner that aligns with challenges such as climate adaptation, water management and biodiversity.

Without structural expansion, management will inevitably remain reactive, backlogs will continue to grow and risks to liveability and safety will increase. That is why a structural strengthening of the team has been chosen, which will halt the current decline, gradually reduce backlogs and enable the transition to future-oriented management.

Joint choice for structural strengthening

Various scenarios were examined to determine the required strengthening. Only a structural expansion of 14.1 fte proved realistic and feasible. Less expansion would mean that the current decline in public spaces continues and risks increase. A larger expansion is financially unfeasible within the resources of the three municipalities. The chosen scale provides sufficient capacity to get the basics in order, reduce backlogs and actually achieve the transition to future-oriented management.

Decision-making in the municipal councils

The proposal for this structural expansion will be submitted to the three municipal councils for decision-making. However, this strengthening is not about additional ambitions, but about creating the minimum conditions required to perform existing tasks well and to work with multi-year plans for each asset (each aspect of public space).

Since the joint organisation HLTsamen and the management team work for three municipalities simultaneously, it is important that all municipalities make the same choice. Different decision variants would lead to inefficiency and organisational bottlenecks. An evaluation will take place after three years to determine whether further expansion is necessary or desirable.