Summary Do justice together

ChristenUnie/SGP: Do justice together

The Hague is the international city of peace and justice. A beautiful, but divided city. The gap between richer and poorer parts of the city only seems to be growing. I refuse to accept such a gap. To me, everyone is valuable: young and old, believer and non-believer, Hagenaar and Hagenees, newcomer and local, expats and Dutch. I am committed to a city where we peacefully live together, where we can age with dignity and where our children will have a sustainable future. Would you like to support this vision for a city council with an eye for the needs of its residents, a city government that really listens to you?

Then vote ChristenUnie/SGP on the 14th, 15th & 16th of March 2018 for a city where we do justice together. 

Judith Klokkenburg

Party Leader of ChristenUnie/SGP The Hague

Do justice together

A ‘welcome to the Hague’ package for every new resident of The Hague. When moving to The Hague, new residents will receive a welcome package containing local living rules and tips, a waste pass with information, a 1-year subscription to the library, a public transport (OV) chip card with pre-loaded balance, information about volunteering and a product from The Hague.

Care for prostitutes. Steps are being taken to stop window prostitution in the Doublet and Geleen street in due course, following the Groningen model. In addition, there will be more money made available for exit programs offering women and men in prostitution alternative career options and trainings.

Combating human trafficking is a priority for the council. Combating human trafficking is a priority in the Hague's security policy. This also means paying particular attention to online evidence.

Safety for all. The Hague continues to be a safe and attractive place for international organizations and their staff. The council and police ensure officers are trained and there is a recognised procedure to report unsafe situations.

Safety for everyone on the street. We do not accept violence on the grounds of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender diversity, but unfortunately it does occur. The police must be alert to this and respond appropriately. In order to better register religious and gay violence, a good and accessible registration system is being worked on in consultation with the police, the Public Prosecution Service, religious and LGBTI+ organizations to properly register various forms of violence.

Stop the cat calling. Women should be able to walk safely on the street at any time of the day, without being harassed. Law enforcement officers and community officers act against cat calling and intimidation of women. There will be more prevention, so that (potential) offenders and their parents also become aware of their role in maintaining the safety of women on the street.

We tackle racism, discrimination and anti-Semitism. There is no tolerance in the Hague for hatred, discrimination and anti-Semitism. Ethnicity or religion should never be a reason for discrimination. Obviously, this priority also applies to the safety of other religious groups, when this is at stake, for example, of (ex-) Muslims.

Tackling drug nuisance. A number of areas in the Hague experience a lot of drug related public nuisance due to the many coffee shops in those neighbourhoods. Instead of moving coffee shops and the associated public nuisance elsewhere, there will be an extinction policy. In addition, there will be a smoking ban in the Hague and strict enforcement of the laughing gas ban.

More visible police presence in the streets. The council is urging the central government to expand police capacity. Where necessary, we will also invest in extra council enforcement officers, for example the Pandbrigade. Consultation hours of the community officer will include evening time slots for residents who work during the day. It is also important that community police officers are based in the neighbourhoods they serve. The council will negotiate with the police about stationing community police officers in the same district for at least six years as much as possible. We support one community police officer per 4000 inhabitants.

Living together in the Hague

Building for everyone. In the coming years, we will increase house construction to solve the housing shortage. We consider it important that middle-income earners can afford to live in The Hague. That is why we apply the standard of 30% social rent , 20% medium-price rent and 20% affordable purchase up to the NHG limit (€355,000 in 2022) to all new build proposals.

Build council housing in more affluent neighbourhoods and at the stations. We maintain the policy of building 30% social rental housing throughout the city. That has not happened in the past years. The council will also adhere to this standard in the more affluent neighbourhoods, in order to avoid social divisions within the city. The government offers a subsidy for this, but if necessary, we will supplement it with local financial support through the earmarked Eneco resources.

Self-occupancy obligation. Homes are not investment objects, but places where people live. The self-occupancy rule is therefore used as an instrument to deter the purchase of homes by investors. In the first instance, we will introduce the self-occupancy obligation for homes with a WOZ value of €500,000 or greater. Existing private rental will be maintained.

The Hague Southwest at its best. In the Hague Southwest, many homes are insufficiently future-proof when it comes to sustainability and quality of life. Therefore, a large number of the housing association homes will be demolished and replaced by energy-neutral new build. We will pay attention to the protected city landscape in this program. The Hague Southwest will once again become an attractive area to live in, with lots of greenery, fast public transport connections to Westland and the centre and sufficiently varied homes. In addition, a public attraction is being envisaged for the Hague Southwest, for example a museum of national interest, to put this neighbourhood on the map and ensure a broad public will appreciate this beautiful part of The Hague.

Sufficient housing for teachers and public service workers. Teachers, healthcare workers and police officers are indispensable to our city. Unfortunately, it is difficult for them to find suitable housing. Therefore, we will reserve new homes for people with these indispensable professions, so that they can continue to work in the city, and also to attract new teachers, nurses and police officers to the Hague.

Improved protection for tenants. Tenants can be vulnerable when they rent a home from a unscrupulous landlord. The ChristenUnie/SGP therefore advocates the accelerated introduction of a landlord's permit for all landlords. If landlords do not meet certain conditions, they can be refused a permit to rent their accommodation.

Address damp and mould problems. Too many people in the Hague live in houses with mould. The council is making stricter agreements with housing corporations about refurbishing affected houses, to give people a healthy and more pleasant home environment.

Decisive action on household waste. There will be one councillor assigned as responsible for tackling the waste problem. This councillor will ensure that ORACs are emptied on time, that the waste is properly separated and that violations are enforced. In addition, we want to experiment with a fixed collection day for bulky waste and restrictions such that ORACs will only be emptied between the hours of 08:00 and 21:00.

Caring and learning together

Support volunteer organizations. Small local voluntary organizations are particularly important for social cohesion and social commitment at street and neighbourhood level. We will support them by facilitating grant applications and collaborating with them. In addition, the council will offer space in the neighbourhood for initiatives such as the Repair Café or other local organizations. This makes it easier for a volunteer organization to meet, e.g. by using the council meeting rooms.

Care for caregivers. The ChristenUnie/SGP wants to have specific support for young carers, especially if they have to combine caring with school or study commitments. The council will pay special attention to them by offering coaching, study counselling and/or financial support. In addition, there will be sufficient accommodation available where people who require care can temporarily stay in order to relieve informal carers.

The Hague is 100% accessible. By 2030, The Hague will be 100% accessible to everyone.

Appropriate care for everyone. If one is no longer able to run their own household, good home care must be available. A good home help not only takes care of the household, but also has time for a chat or a small administrative task. The residents of The Hague can choose a healthcare provider that suits their beliefs and preferences.

Save Bronovo. The council is making every effort to preserve the Bronovo Hospital. If the hospital does have to be closed, we will ensure that people from Scheveningen and the Hague have access to good medical care locally. Finally, we will provide good work benefits for the hospital: in this way we will encourage young people to work in the healthcare sector.

Invest in the community. The ChristenUnie/SGP wants to invest in community officers, council enforcement officers, youth workers and family coaches. By being present as integral to the community, we prevent many problems later on, and can act more quickly and preventatively within the neighbourhood.

Housing first. Nobody should have to sleep on the street in The Hague. We need to build sufficient homes for formerly homeless people such that waiting lists for a place in emergency shelters will become redundant. These can also be temporary accommodation on vacant lots. When homeless people are given shelter, they can work on further recovery with support.

A library in every neighbourhood. Each district will have a library. Additionally, in neighbourhoods where there is a high percentage of illiteracy, for example in Moerwijk, the need is particularly high and they will get preference and be allowed to deviate from the standard for the reach of the library. The first district library to return will be to Spoorwijk and Mariahoeve.

Everyone learns to read. We fight illiteracy. As an employer, the council sets a good example by screening its own employees for low literacy and, if necessary, giving language training. Employers will follow that example (we will make an agreement with employers in The Hague) and so everyone will learn to read at work.

Together we will make The Hague flourish

Climate neutral city. The goal remains to be climate neutral by 2030. Significant steps still need to be taken to achieve this. We are investing additionally in insulation, sustainability and green spaces initiatives.

Insulation advice at your door. The successful deployment of the insulation teams is being expanded. These teams must consist of professionals with various backgrounds to prevent tunnel vision. The council supports local initiatives to promote optimal energy efficiency in streets and neighbourhoods, actively approaches VVEs and goes door-to-door with an offer-you-can't-refuse to insulate your home.

Prevent energy poverty. Not every resident of the Hague has the financial means to make their home more sustainable. People with a low income will receive a budget to reduce energy consumption in their home based on the advice of the insulation team.

Energy transition affordable for everyone. Low income residents should not pay the full price for the higher energy prices and the sustainability initiatives of the city. Switching to a sustainable heat solution is expensive and not everyone can afford it. That is why the council intervenes where necessary.

From tropical island to oasis. Built up city centres are unbearable in summer due to the heat. An accelerated approach will be introduced for these urban areas, including greening suitable roofs, planting trees and creating vertical facade gardens. Insects deserve a resting place here.

Together we plant the city green. Each street has the opportunity to submit a plan for making their street greener and a chance to receive a small contribution towards the plan. Residents then have the task of maintaining the greenery and cleaning up litter. This is how we plant the city green together.

The bike as decider. To further encourage cycling, we will provide new star cycling routes, improve cycling routes and bicycle safety. Innovations, such as rain sensors at traffic lights, so that cyclists are given priority when it is raining, are being tested and applied where possible. Cyclists will experience more green lights during the rush hour, especially at busy intersections.

All public transport accessible to everyone. Many tram lines are already fully accessible. We will ensure that quickly accessible trams are also used on the last tram lines. Together with HTM and MRDH, we will ensure that also the buses are wheelchair accessible.

Good car management. In our busy and growing city, a second parking permit is no longer a matter of course. In principle no second parking permits are issued in neighbourhoods with a parking pressure above 90% (exceptions excluded). The second permit, where permitted, is also more expensive. In neighbourhoods where it is being considered to introduce paid parking or to remove parking spaces, neighbourhood residents will get extensively involved in the consultations. They can actively contribute ideas about the future of cars in their neighbourhood. Sunday is a day of rest, on which many people go to church or visit family. Paid parking should not be a restriction to this. Parking on Sundays and public holidays will be free.

A prosperous Hague economy

Strengthen the manufacturing industry. It is important that factory workers can find work in the city. The council is therefore committed to supporting the manufacturing industry, ensuring there is sufficient space in the city for these companies and maintaining the Binckhorst.

Space for rest. More is not always better. It is good for entrepreneurs and employees in The Hague to have a moment of rest in our hectic 24-hour economy. We will therefore take a critical look at the (extension of) shopping hours and limit them if necessary. Business owners and their staff, including market stall owners, should always be able to choose not to work on Sundays.

Room for business. The entrepreneur progresses his business, and the council facilitates this. For all questions you can contact a single council desk. The entrepreneur portal will be further strengthened in terms of accessibility and available knowledge. The council will also apply a 'zero balance' for new rules for companies. For every new line, an old one has to be removed. In this way we ensure that it remains easy to do business in The Hague.

The City brand is supportive, not defining. The Hague is the city of sand and peat, where the Prime Minister cycles to his office, while the residents of The Hague peruse the world news together in the cafe. A city that promotes itself and where the brand follows. The budget for city branding may be reduced by the Christenunie/SGP. In addition, there will be no additional hotels.

The port is and will remain a port. Our city has only one port and we must cherish it. In recent years, expansion has been carried out in Scheveningen harbour where houses and a hotel have been added. We support no more new buildings, no hotels, pop museum or casinos being added to the port. Instead, more space will be reserved for port-related activities and the current quay space will be preserved.

Work for tradespeople. The council is making extra efforts in sectors that provide employment for the low- and medium-skilled, such as construction, greenery, logistics and transport and care. For example, the council initiates information meetings for, among others, young people, status holders and mature students.

City-wide approach to poverty. The ChristenUnie/SGP advocates a city-wide approach in which the council works together with social organizations and funds in the city to take joint action. We can achieve more when we join forces and have clear goals in mind.

Help victims of the allowance scandal. The council will continue to offer help to the parents affected by the allowance scandal (toeslagenaffaire), also in the long term. They actively seek contact with the parents and provide support with the problems that have arisen.

Addressing debt. The council must, where possible, literally and figuratively sit beside people to help them properly. The barriers to receiving help from the council will be made as low as possible and investments will be made into the expertise and skills of the council advisors. Finally, we invest in freedom of choice: just as you can choose your own doctor’s surgery, a person requesting help can select which instancy they wish to work with and can always ask for a second opinion.

A government that serves its subjects

Each district has a dedicated counter. In each district there will be a counter where you can go for questions or to request and collect documents.

Name and telephone number on every letter. If you have a question in response to a letter from the council, you should know where to go. That is why each letter contains a name and telephone number of someone from the council you can approach with questions.

Clear language. Government communication must be understandable. Especially when you consider that about a quarter of the residents of the Hague have low literacy. That is why simple language, at a maximum of B1 level, in letters and on the website is becoming the new norm. In addition, image letters are used, in which pictograms and QR codes with a link to a film are used.

Participation should not lead to frustration. The council communicates clearly to citizens how they can participate in the discussion about changes in their neighbourhood. The council also clearly states where and how citizens can influence the various phases of decision-making. Clear frameworks illustrating where there is and where there is no influence and communication about all developments are central to all negotiations. In this way people can participate in the conversation at the right time and in the right place.

Sensitivity for personal data. The council clearly communicates in advance why particular data is needed and only uses it for the designated purpose,

Voting is a celebration. Voting is something special. Especially when you are allowed for the first time. Young people who are entitled to vote receive a letter from the mayor in the run-up to the first elections which they are entitled to vote in with a souvenir. This is also drawn attention to and celebrated at the polling station.

Empower local investigative journalists. Journalism is a crucial part of our democracy. That is why the ChristenUnie/SGP wants to support local investigative journalists with an independent fund for investigative journalism in the Hague.