TOGETHER FOR CHANGE AND A FAIR EINDHOVEN Political program
Together for change, and a fair Eindhoven GroenLinks' choice is for a fair Eindhoven. Where everyone is given the same opportunities. Where the disparity between rich and poor lessens. Where everybody can participate, regardless of age, education, sexual orientation, cultural background or lifestyle. A city in which we unite rather than divide. Where everyone belongs. Humans and animals. Now and in the future. Nothing unites better than a common goal. Our goal? GroenLinks stands for sustainable energy, clean air and a green city. A dynamic city, where exciting culture and great festivals are on offer. A city with plenty of jobs for socially-responsible and sustainable employers. Where you can enjoy both the liveliness of the city centre and the tranquillity of greenery and water elements in your neighbourhood. A city that places great emphasis on solidarity and celebrates diversity. Where poverty is tackled together. This is the city we want to be. And we want to achieve that together with all Eindhoveners. With passion, commitment and creativity. With optimism and fighting spirit. Join us, and vote for GroenLinks on 21 March 2018. * Join us and vote for GroenLinks
City of opportunities We want a city in which there are opportunities for everyone. Where it doesn't matter which neighbourhood you come from. Or whether your parents are well-educated or not. Or whether you're sitting pretty or stuck in debt. Whether you've lived in the Netherlands for years or have just arrived. Everyone deserves the chance to be what they want to be and to pursue personal growth all their lives. That means good education, plenty of jobs, sustainable ones, a vibrant cultural climate and enough sports facilities for everyone. But it also means a safety net for when things aren't going so well: social security benefits based less on obligations and rules, and more on motivating people. Poverty schemes that give everyone the chance to actively participate in the city. Effective debt counselling that helps people get back on their feet and gives them prospects for the future. Eindhoven has many faces. There's the city with a successful high-tech industry, ex-pats from all over the world and creative designers. But there's also the city with high unemployment and people living below the poverty line. The effects of the increase in the use of technology and robots will become more and more visible in coming years. There will be new jobs that demand different kinds of knowledge and experience, but other jobs will disappear. In a city that already has one foot in the future, we will constantly have to look for new solutions. Sustainable city We want a city in which sustainability forms the basis for our decisions. By choosing sustainable solutions, we increase the liveability of the city, its green character and its appeal to both residents and visitors. GroenLinks wants to focus on renewable forms of energy, climate adaptation, green, biodiversity, circular economy and a reduction in energy consumption. GroenLinks has adopted the goals of the initiative for a Climate Act, and fully supports the Paris climate agreement. This has led to Eindhoven being the first municipality in the Netherlands to have a climate budget, thanks to the GroenLinks initiative. We choose energy generated on the basis of renewable sources, such as sun, wind and geothermal heat. We encourage housing associations and residents to make environmentally-responsible choices when building or modernising homes. In the case of new build, we choose passive houses, constructed with sustainable materials, with green roofs and façades but without natural gas. Everyone contributes what they can. Sustainability is also an essential criterion for businesses and their activities. Sustainability will become a deciding factor when tenders and subsidies are awarded, as just happened with the planning for the new station district, for example. GroenLinks chooses the circular economy. Waste becomes raw material. GroenLinks makes decisions that are good for humans, animals and the environment.
Healthy city We want a liveable, green city with clean air for humans and animals. That means choosing sustainable mobility and green instead of asphalt. Having blocked the construction of the new stretch of motorway around Eindhoven (De Ruit) through the green valley of the River Dommel, GroenLinks was also closely involved in the creation of the Bereikbaarheidsakkoord (Accessibility Agreement). We are committed to high-quality rail links (national and international), electric buses and taxis, bike lanes and pedestrian paths and smart mobility (using technology to improve traffic flow). Eindhoven Airport also has a role to play in Eindhoven's accessibility, and GroenLinks advocates clearly-defined frameworks in order to preserve liveability and air quality, and reduce CO2 emissions. The harmful effects of, for example, particulates, are still being underestimated. Similar frameworks are needed to make industrial estates sustainable. GroenLinks is working towards a circular economy and the connecting of city and countryside, for our food production, for example. Projects such as urban agriculture also contribute to this. When we speak of a green city, we envisage a great diversity of plants and animals and a wetland environment which can absorb excess rainwater, while also acting as a pleasant place for people to meet. This also helps to combat heat stress in the city. GroenLinks doesn't want paved districts, but neighbourhoods with living green spaces at their hearts. GroenLinks wants to see room for animals being included as an essential aspect of planning and construction plans. The reception of animals must also be properly organised. In short: we are working towards a city in which humans and animals can breathe (a sigh of relief).
Caring city We want a city in which everyone can look forward to the future with confidence. That includes anyone dependent on youth or unemployment benefits, or social assistance. In recent years, the state has handed over a great many tasks to municipalities. This went hand-in-hand with substantial budget cuts, not choices Groen- Links would have made. Eindhoven has done its best to implement the changes as well as possible for residents, by focusing not on the rules, or the problems, but on the people in our city. WIJeindhoven allocates one contact to one family, and draws up one plan of action. No 'one size fits all', but smart solutions for residents. However, this is a big transition, and it presents the city with financial challenges too. In the coming years, GroenLinks will continue to commit to a united city; one in which WIJeindhoven will tackle all aspects of care, work, living and income, together with residents. And one in which family members, friends, experts by experience and neighbourhood initiatives will be more closely involved. The technological knowledge present in businesses and the experience of social initiatives in our city can also be better utilised. GroenLinks wants to see this integral and effective approach being applied in specialist support too. The current financial situation forces us to take a good look at how the budgets can be used as effectively and qualitatively as possible. Improved collaboration between specialist care, neighbourhood teams and informal care is important, in order to ensure that residents are given optimum support in shaping how they want to live their lives.
Involved city We want a city in which involved residents are given the opportunity of sharing their thoughts and making their own personal contribution. That way, we are creating a city together where everyone feels at home and making broad-based decisions possible. We are seeing neighbourhood allotments, energy associations and care initiatives starting up in almost every neighbourhood. That makes Eindhoven a vibrant place and makes sure that residents feel involved. The municipality authority needs to be a stimulating and facilitating partner in all of this. GroenLinks wants everyone in the city to be able to participate, and calls for an end to exclusion. We welcome newcomers and offer them opportunities. We combat discrimination and embrace diversity. By talking to each other, and keeping the dialogue going, whether at sports activities, in schools, at work or in the neighbourhood, we can eliminate prejudices. GroenLinks stands for pluralistic neighbourhoods. Our goal is to see great diversity of housing design in every neighbourhood. That might be affordable accommodation, student housing or homes for people with special needs. Every resident wants to feel safe in their own home environment. However, risks, criminality and wrongdoing can't be completely eliminated. Tackling wrongdoing firmly should be in line with preventive measures, in collaboration with police, social partners and residents. GroenLinks seeks to engage in dialogue about the challenges of the coming years, such as protection of privacy on the one hand, and the advantages of a smart society on the other. This is how we want to interpret the idea of a 'do democracy'. Together. That's how we do things in Eindhoven. Living city Eindhoven's strength is the sum of its creativity, technology and residents. We want a lively city where there's something for every resident to discover, and plenty to experience. Whether that's in the bustling city centre, the unconventional Strijp-S, the green parks or the pleasant housing areas. We are home to high-tech companies, innovative design, exciting culture and good sports facilities. With 30,000 students, Eindhoven is also a real education city, with a university, universities of applied sciences and vocational education. In short, we have a lot to offer, but as an innovative, economic region, we also still have a lot to develop. Given the limited means at our disposal, compared to other large cities in the Netherlands, decisions will not be easy to make. It's also important to continue strong lobbying in The Hague. So that we'll be able to invest more in culture, sports, international rail connection and green, liveable neighbourhoods. A good collaboration between government, residents, companies, cultural initiatives and sports clubs will also help us achieve more. We challenge everyone to share their thoughts and develop their ideas. The city is something we make together.