Welcome the future

To be successful, young talent needs access to capital and a place to work, experiment, develop, collaborate or simply meet. We want to support start-ups and young entrepreneurs by offering them space, relaxing rules at municipal level and making more resources available. Starting a business is not easy. Instead of chaining new ideas with a load of rules, we want to open an entrepreneur’s desk at the municipality. Both starters and existing entrepreneurs can knock on this door with questions and problems they encounter when starting up or running their business. They will be linked there to an employee of the municipality who guides them in completing the formalities and helps them with solving problems on an ad hoc basis. Conversely, this business desk is a signboard for the municipality to tackle social problems in the city together with entrepreneurs. For example, less polluting freight transport in the city center: the municipality can ask entrepreneurs to come up with a solution and (co-)facilitate them in the implementation. We also want more resources to be made available as starting capital. In return, the entire city will benefit from the services, expertise, employment and knowledge provided by the entrepreneurs.

M:OED wants to work on improving the connection of all forms of education, from MBO to university, with the regional labor market. With a good picture of the demographic development of Maastricht and the (EU) region over the coming years, it is possible to respond more efficiently and in the longer term. Within education there should be more emphasis on personal development, talent development and stimulating interest development. This requires an investment from both schools and employers since students, as future employees, must be guided in this. By giving pupils and students of all levels the same tools, tips and tricks in the field of personal development, everyone can enter the labor market with confidence and this also apply these lessons later in their career. Also, all students in the lower years of secondary education will be taught ICT, so that the new generation of Maastricht residents becomes familiar with the most modern developments in technology and everyone has the opportunity to discover whether he or she has a special talent in this field so that the companies can count on sufficient ICT professionals on the local labor market.

It is of great importance that there is more transparency in the possibilities for meaningful participation

in Maastricht society. This is important for people entitled to social assistance and also for those who find it more difficult to fit into the regular, paid employment process due to physical, psychological or social limitations. These people could also participate meaningfully in their neighborhood or district in other ways, for example as a caregiver, in neighborhood or association work or as a volunteer. This gives structure to life, increases self-esteem and strengthens social involvement. However, the current reintegration policy hinders people on social assistance benefits from developing their own socially useful initiatives. This is at odds with the pursuit of an inclusive society in which everyone can participate and contribute to the best of their ability. The trick is therefore to reverse this trend. The municipality can make a good start with this by offering fair compensation to every non-working citizen who is committed to projects that we as a society consider important for Maastricht, for example by expanding social workshops.

A good start on the Maastricht labor market after school or studies starts with your first part-time jobs during your school period. It offers the first chance to become familiar with the world of work and what it entails, from interacting with managers and colleagues to earning your own well earned money. One of the problem with the current minimum youth wage, is that there are way easier ways in Maastricht you can illegally earn much more money for less work by entering the criminal circuit. These are perverse incentives that can already be partly removed by arguing as a municipality for a higher minimum youth wage.

Poverty is a complex problem that goes hand in hand with problems in other domains. An integrated approach in which these domains work together with confidence is crucial to stand strong in this together. In addition, more freedom of choice is needed and less unnecessary pressure on people receiving social assistance benefits. After all, current policy is linked to the obligation to continuously engage in job application and reintegration activities in which people are mainly kept busy instead of leading to paid work. Both the causes and consequences of poverty, such as ending up in social isolation, need to be addressed.

Poverty is a complex problem that goes hand in hand with problems in the areas of care, welfare, education and participation. It is therefore crucial that there is an integrated policy in which all parties involved work together. This requires a reduction of regulatory pressure and “over-control” by the municipality. Restoring the municipality’s confidence in the expertise of healthcare professionals and social workers, and in Maastricht University as a knowledge partner, is a first step in this.

Poverty has many negative consequences for the (social) health of the population of Maastricht. M:OED therefore supports investments in the Child Package, so that children can play sports for free, participate in cultural activities and celebrate their birthday. In addition, M:OED supports investments in the organization of free activities for the elderly. A tailor-made approach will have to be developed for the elderly to see how they can best be supported and where the elderly want and can make a contribution in the form of knowledge transfer or voluntary work. In this way isolation is prevented and this sense of purpose helps to improve the quality of life for themselves and for others.

As M:OED we want to make the process of applying for funds and grants transparent, fair and easy. The application process should be easy to understand, both in Dutch and English. Where artists encounter structural obstacles, they can submit improvement proposals to the responsible alderman. We want to approach new ideas with an open mind. Culture is constantly changing and we believe that the city should be flexible in its cultural policy. In addition to Maastricht’s established cultural institutions, fundingopportunities will therefore have to be created for cultural start-ups and for new creative initiatives.

These initiatives realize Maastricht’s potential and in turn add a new cultural identity to the current ‘chic and chic in the city’. In addition, this contributes to retaining creatives and young professionals, whom we want to keep in the city.

Not only a ‘simple’ subsidy is a solution for this. M:OED sees a solution in the use of empty buildings in the city. Providing a workspace can play a significant role in developing a larger cultural sector. Logically, this may also be countered. It is up to the municipality, the council and the citizens to set a framework

that artists and performers must comply with, without jeopardizing creative freedom. Requirements that can be set are, for example, offering an exhibition or performance in neighborhood centers so that art is easily accessible throughout the city. In order to involve young people in culture, requirements may also be set that are specifically aimed at young people. For this also the knowledge and expertise of existing organizations such as Stichting Ateliers Maastricht, CODE043, Stichting Stadsnomade and Kumulus can be made use of.

We emphasize the importance of socio-cultural centers as important places for meeting and exchange. These are places where creative minds meet and new ideas arise. These socio-cultural centers challenge institutionalized forms of culture. We support and protect cultural refuges such as the LBB. It is also important to show this in and to the city.

To keep up with the 24-hour economy, we want to experiment with 24-hour concepts in Maastricht. We want to challenge the inhabitants and the creative and cultural field of Maastricht to share their ideas for a 24-hour business model with us. This can be aimed at music, fitness, shopping, radio, television, cinema and/or theatre. For us, good examples of this are the ‘Westergasfabriek’ and ‘De School’ in Amsterdam. The approach  is not to realize something completely new in the city, but to build on the already existing cultural and creative infrastructure and entrepreneurs in Maastricht.

In addition to the power of artistic exchange, M:OED also believes in the enormous possibilities that will arise for Maastricht when it focuses on the world, both economically and culturally. We respect our identity and are enthusiastic about the new insights that new residents of Maastricht bring from all over the world.

We attach great importance to the exchange of cultures; it allows us to broaden our horizons within the globalizing world. We therefore demand that the primary and secondary school system adopt a more progressive policy in this area. At the moment only a few schools offer a bilingual curriculum and at the same time the integration of new Maastricht residents is still very poor. Parents in Maastricht should have the opportunity to prepare their children for global society.

We see a city in transition. Moving towards an energy-neutral and green Maastricht that will benefit all     residents. A city with its own energy. This includes an energy policy based on new, sustainable sources of  energy owned by the local community, but also a greening of the public space in our city. Sustainability is no longer a choice. Global warming is a global problem and we need to take a leading role when it comes to solutions. That is why we support the goal of being energy neutral by 2030, as formulated in the Maastricht Energy Agreements. We see great opportunities for CO2 reduction in our city, especially with regard to housing and transport. Furthermore, we see an increase in awareness among citizens, which must be stimulated. Companies, schools and neighborhoods must realize that sustainable living and entrepreneurship is not only necessary, but can also be profitable. This awareness process will accelerate if innovative experiments are encouraged and citizens are involved.

Many of the social housing and student housing in Maastricht are poorly insulated, which leads to energy loss. We also want these homes to meet the minimum requirements according to the Energy Label, class C. In addition, we want to alleviate the strict requirements of the aesthetics committee regarding, for example, the installation of solar panels or double glazing in the city. Because although we, like the aesthetics committee, attach importance to “image quality” and “monumental value”, we believe that creating opportunities for sustainable entrepreneurs is crucial for the development of the city. The municipality must take the lead in this and provide all its buildings, where possible and cost- effective, with solar panels. For the construction of completely new homes or buildings by private individuals and housing associations, stricter requirements are required to build more energy-neu In addition, subsidies and/or loans must be made available for experiments with sustainable construction, such as with so-called passive houses. These kinds of investments will pay off in the long run.

M:OED wants to promote the establishment of sustainable municipal energy companies  and corporations. Social involvement is central to this. Shares are made available for residents, small businesses and (academic) institutes that are committed to sustainable innovation. Large energy companies cannot join as shareholders. With this we want to give an impulse to the availability of green energy in Maastricht. In this area we can learn a lot from Germanyand Denmark where the growth of local energy cooperatives has exploded in recent decades. There are also more and more examples of this locally, such as the EMEC. Extensive research has been done into the advantages and feasibility of such cooperatives. With the political will of M:OED, new Maastricht variants become reality.

M:OED attaches importance to involving citizens in greening the city. Planting and maintaining food forests and play areas is ideal for this. Such places have already been realized to a small extent at Tapijn, but the possibilities for expansion are not used enough. Enthusiastic experts have plans ready to make use of, for example, the greenery at Via Regia, but also the stony environment of the city center. Nut trees, fruit trees, and grape bushes would do well in these places. These kinds of plans deserve more   attention and action. In addition, there is a growing number of initiatives in Maastricht that  bring consumers closer tothe local producer. We want to help these kinds of projects move forward. Finally, in Maastricht the pressure of sustainable waste processing is too much on the citizen. The city must take measures to prevent the use of disposable packaging for the producer/ discourage retailers and encourage the use of cradle to cradle products. M:OED believes that more types of waste should becollected more often and that dumping at the environmental park should be affordable for everyone.

The Municipality of Maastricht works according to the principle of one family, one plan. Citizens are in control and this is a good thing, but there is rarely a single plan. Regulations often hinder practical implementation. M:OED advocates a more integrated approach through improved cooperationbetween social support, preventive health and care, youth care, education, work and knowledgepartners such as Maastricht University and the GGD. Improving cooperation requires a reduction of ‘regulatory pressure’, over-control, administrative burdens and more direct communication between the municipality and professionals.

Preventing is better than curing That is why M:OED advocates a multi-year trajectory and an integrated approach to health problems through prevention. At the neighborhood level, health promotion is most effective. Through a targeted neighborhood approach, citizens are involved in their own health and the problems in their neighborhood. They are given the opportunity to participate in devising solutions for themselves and their children. This cooperation also leads to improved social cohesion. Thanks to thesmall-scale local approach, problems are visible at an early stage. Money and resources are used in the neighborhoods where they are most needed. Every neighborhood must have good access to care andassistance facilities. This low-threshold approach can prevent residents from having to use moreexpensive second-line care to a greater extent.

Ultimately, costs incurred by long-term intervention programs are often decreasing costs in other areas. That is why we need to look at the financing of our local health care system in a different way.

Being healthy and feeling happy are not purely an individual matter, but are partly determined by the social environment and the quality of the relationships with the people around you. So we are all responsible for ourselves, but also for the well-being of the people around us. This broadening of responsibility requires a change in thinking. This can manifest itself, for example, through teaching programs in schools about sex education according to the Scandinavian model. Here students learn what it means to be friends with classmates.

We at M:OED believe it is important that children are engaged at a young age to   discover and develop interests and talents, and to learn how they can use these to contribute to society. By being involved in this at a young age, this leads to better choices in education and afterwards. These choices are important for the well-being and meaning of our children and young adults. This helps prevent unemployment later in life and contributes to the well-being of our society in both the short and long term.

We envision a Maastricht where citizens feel that their involvement and vision on local issues and decisions isvalued, and where our municipality understands that it benefits from an active attitude towards its citizens. While the municipality currently relies on advice from expensive external experts and makes selective use of organizations and local initiatives, our goal is to allow citizens to participate themselves. The gap between ‘us’, the normal people, and ‘them’, the municipality, can only be bridged if the municipality expands its toolbox beyond direct dialogue, neighborhood networks and information events. The mandate to make decisions should not be based solely on the results of the elections, but should be seen broadly in all kinds of expressions of citizenship. This could include getting views through surveys among the population, participation platforms, but also ‘mini publics’ consisting of randomly selected residents who inform the council and help with specific issues that concern them.

We at M:OED want to encourage that citizenship is broadly defined and that all forms of citizenship are taken into account equally by the City Council and administrators in order to increase the legitimacy and thus sustainability of decisions. We ask the municipality to show its citizens that it actually wants to beinformed about what the citizen wants, and that it has the feeling that it is involved.

We support active citizenship by, on the one hand, using technology to create absolute transparency and accountability regarding the expenditure of public funds for the knowledge economy. On the other hand, we encourage an open dialogue about (un)successful components of the knowledge economy. We are convinced that by providing transparency and enforcing accountability, the power of the citizen will be strengthened and Maastricht will be rewarded with active participation. We believe that Maastricht can only become theknowledge city that we envision through this active participation: the city that stimulates talent and promotes asense of home for them.

We envision a participating society. A society in which corruption and inefficiency are terms that belong to the past; where politics and policy are transparent, innovative and participative. To this end, we want to use creative digital concepts and use groundbreaking solutions to restore confidence in politics. Actively involving the population in the decision-making process will create a form of participatory democracy in which people are rewarded for their involvement. We see ourselves as pioneers in innovation and change of local political representation. As a society, we are faced with complex challenges that require greater reflexivity and the ability to experiment and envisioning smart objectives. The municipality must communicate this clearly and transparently and also actively approach people when something drastic is about to happen in their living environment.

We want to make it possible to arrange municipal paperwork online by offering well- functioning e-services. This can be in any form of administrative task such as applying for a permit or asking questions via an online chat.

Estonia is a relevant example that has successfully implemented the use of smart e- services, where the population is engaged in politics. By making it possible for residents to take care of administrative work themselves and by facilitating them with the necessary applications, the unnecessary bureaucratic annoyanceswill be a thing of the past. Waiting times will also be drastically reduced. An example of this is a good and intuitive online database where municipal policy and information can be found. This can make citizens more independent while at the same time freeing up more time for civil servants to better personally help citizens who need extra help.

New digital standards for governance and government officials need to be set. We see it as the municipality’s obligation to cooperate with the various knowledge institutions and technology companies in the region. This can be done, among other things, by initiating and maintaining a regional knowledge platform. In this way, civil servants, councilors, but also citizens can see where certain knowledge is located, and the problem-solving capacity of the municipality becomes more visual and transparent, which increases the chances of an integrated approach to problems. In this way we can ensure that the right knowledge is put in the right place for each theme and we can learn from other (regional) examples.

This offers opportunities for local initiatives. Maastricht should strive to be at the forefront of communication between government and citizens. By promoting the city in this way, we can promote the knowledge economy and attract more leading organizations.

In addition, M:OED advocates a more integrated approach of themes and better cooperation between the various internal departments of the municipality. In this way it is easier to make a link between different files and problems can be tackled better at the core.

We believe that it is of the utmost importance that every citizen of Maastricht is well informed about the processes that take place in their city. Transparent and intuitive access to the right information at the right time are key goals for restoring trust in society. To ensure this, we want to adequately recalibrate the current communication and information channels and then restructure them. Because of this, each individual will  know where to look for specific information or services. In addition to the ability to find information relevant to our daily lives, citizens will increasingly have easier access to their personal data, as well as decisions made by local government. A personalized choice of newsletter system can enable you to stay informed about topics and legislation relevant  to your neighborhood or area of interest. Finally, all relevant content must be provided promptly in both Dutch and English.

Clear guidelines and criteria for each permit must be provided. With M:OED in the city council, the aim is to facilitate and support initiatives instead of overturning ideas without proper explanation. Citizens and organizations must be able to know why events or subsidies cannot take place.