Do you think you can perform tasks or facilities of the municipality differently, better, smarter and/or cheaper? Then, as a resident of the municipality of Zoetermeer, you can take over those tasks or facilities from the municipality. The right to do this is known as the 'Right to Challenge'.

Examples of challenges (from other municipalities) are:

  • Maintenance of public green spaces.
  • Animal care in city parks.
  • Designing a layout plan for a street by residents who had design experience of their own. Residents receive money for this and arrange participation. 
  • Lending point of mobility scooters in community centers instead of individual provision.
  • Replacement, management and maintenance of playground equipment with volunteers doing the maintenance. This leaves more money for equipment.
  • Self-management of community centers and an organization of day care activities.
  • Education campaigns about litter, for example.
     

What do you need to know?

You can challenge on almost all municipal duties of the municipality, such as:

  • social brokerage
  • care tasks
  • green maintenance
  • management of a sports club, community center or playground
  • pupil transport
  • furnishing plan of own street
  • keeping the market clean

On tasks that only the municipality can do, you cannot challenge the municipality. For example, issuing passports. Do you have another idea? Then we would like to talk to you about it. Together we will see what the possibilities are.

Terms

Conditions for challenging the congregation are:

  • It must be (part of) an existing task of the municipality.
  • Money is available.
  • It should not be more expensive than it is now.
  • The street, district, neighborhood, city will be better for it.
  • It gets support from the neighborhood, neighborhood, city, or "community" on which the initiative focuses.
  • A legal form (for example, a foundation) is mandatory (when taking over the task, does not yet have to be in preliminary stages).
  • Initiators must show what they do (content), what quality they deliver and what the outcome is (horizontal accountability).
  • This is a local facility or municipal task that is already there.
  • You are a resident of Zoetermeer or connected to Zoetermeer.
  • You show that you can do the performance.
  • Your plan does not harm anyone.
  • You implement your plan throughout the agreed-upon period.
  • You are not a regular market participant. Market participants already participate in tendering and procurement processes.

More information and/or sign up

Would you like more information? Or would you like to sign up to challenge the congregation? If so, please fill out the form below. Upon receipt of the form, we will contact you as soon as possible.

Report community plans or ideas

How much money is available?

How much money is available for a task you want to perform, the municipality often has to find out first. If it is complicated, this may take a little longer.

How long will it take?

What happens after I submit the challenge?

Once you have submitted a challenge, follow the steps below:

  1. We review whether your request meets the requirements.
  2. We will organize an introductory meeting with you and several officials involved.
  3. We submit the challenge with a recommendation to the alderman(s).
  4. The college makes a decision on whether or not to accept the challenge.
  5. We lay down the agreements made about the result, the budget and the duration, among other things, in a contract. 
  6. A regular contact person guides you through the entire process.

Beginning to perform a municipal task

Have you challenged the municipality on a task and it meets the conditions? Then it will take up to 6 years before you can start. We have ongoing contracts with organizations that are doing the tasks now. Only when these expire can you start. We have to conclude new contracts in time. Therefore, it is important that you let us know early on that you want to challenge the municipality. 

Cost

What the cost is for challenging the municipality varies from case to case. Discussions with the municipality and advice on whether your plan is possible are free of charge to you.

Useful links