Citizens can check on local government

ROTTERDAM – The Rotterdam city council has ordered the town council (College van Burgemeester en Wethouders) to open the municipality's books on expenditures. In a move, which is probably the first in its kind, the local politicians insist that the inhabitants have as much right to check on the government as the government is observing the population. Joep Derksen reports.

Theoretically, anybody can obtain any information about the financial expenditure of the municipalities. But this has to be done through an appeal on the WOB (Wet Openbaar Bestuur; Law for public government). After having done this appeal, the applicant usually has to wait for months before an answer is provided. With the D66 motion, supported by all but one parties, checking the municipalities' expenses will by next year be nothing more than a quick peep on the internet. Or so is the theory.

D66 asked in the motion 'Uitgaven Inzichtelijk' (insight in expenditure) for a 'transparant town council'. According to this motion, more transparancy leads to the development that citizens can exert their influence on the choices that politicians make. This increased transparancy can also help city council members, civilians and institutions to provide solutions, innovations and improvements on all kind of problems the town of Rotterdam has to cope with. In addition, the motion states, Rotterdam should stay front runner in the fields of innovation and changes on the governmental field.

D66 councilor Sameul Schampers proposed that, on a trial basis, the civil servants publish all financial data for two types of expenses. After these expenses have been made public, it will be clear whether any citizen or organisation will look into this data and come up with any briljant ideas how to lower the costs or improve the governmental way of handling. If the trial is a succes, all expenses of Rotterdam, at a total sum of 3 billion euro(!), should be made public. The motion was supported by D66, Leefbaar (Habitable) Rotterdam, CDA, PvdA, GroenLinks (GreenLeft), SP, CU/SGP, Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals). The VVD opposed the motion alltogether. 

Schampers talks about why he has taken this initiative: 'We want to create an open society. It is quite a step forward, from an ideological point of view. The government wants its citizens to be open about their expenses, so that same government should also be open about its own expenses. The people of Rotterdam should know what happens to their money; even on a micro scale.' He gives an example: when you know what the city is paying for bicycle sheds, other companies can offer similar products at lower prices. In this way, the town will save money.'
 

But Schampers has another argument why complete openness about government expenditure is a good idea. 'In Rotterdam we have a thing called 'Right to Challenge'. He gives an example of neighbours who live, for instance, around a square. When they decide that they want to maintain the square by themselves, they are entitled to the amount of money the town of Rotterdam is spending on the regular maintance. How the neighbours then will spend the money; on new playing equipment or a neighbourhood barbecue, is entirely up to them.
 

Now it is up to the civil servants to propose two out of 48 projects to the city council, which will be part of the pilot. Schampers will wait for this outcome. As far as he is concerned, the project 'Culture' should not be part of the pilot. 'We already know how much money goes to cultural groups and museums.' The costs for healthcare and maintance of the public space on the other hand should be much more interesting.
 

Schampers: 'We want to see the effect, when all data comes online. Of course, providing more information will also mean more work for the civil servants. I don't know whether this motion is easy to realise. And when it takes hundreds of man hours to make sure that all expenses are made public, then we may have to reconsider whether it is all worth while. But I am convinced that having an insight in the public expenditures on public spaces will be very useful. The council member is proud that his motion was approved. 'On a global scale, this is ground breaking'.

He is not afraid that people will abuse (parts of) the information made public. 'There should ben no fear for this. The government is checking on us; all our car motions are checked. The government should also be open to its citizens.'
 

The VVD was the only party to object to the motion. Financial spokes woman Antoinette Laan was asked for a response. On her behalf Jurjen de Klerk, assistant to the party, responded: 'The motion would give the city council members the opportunity to look into all expenses of the municipality up the each individual product. But it is the role of the city council to govern on main lines. The city council member already receive so much information that they occasionally don't see the wood for the trees. We doubt that there would be a lot of people who will be really interested in all this kind of information.'