If it depends on CD&V, the impact of municipal councilors will be strengthened. To this end, the party submits a ten-point plan with concrete proposals. “Municipal councilors today have far too little to say and are involved in files too late. If we want to enthuse or keep people interested in politics, we must also respect them,” says Flemish MP Brecht Warnez (CD&V).
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Not all city councils are created equal
CD&V wants, among other things, to tinker with the amount that the city council has to decide on. “Antwerp is not the same board as Lendelede, for example. It is logical that the municipal council of a rural municipality wants to decide on smaller amounts, while in Antwerp people can discuss this in committees,” explains Warnez.
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In order to involve council members more quickly, it also proposes that a quarterly report be made of the evolution within the municipal policy and management plans.
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According to Warnez, this can best be done via digital systems, such as in the Netherlands, to avoid an administrative burden. “As a municipal councilor, you can choose which themes you want to follow up via the digital system. For example, a young municipal councilor can easily see all municipal actions related to youth policy and can then ask questions about this in the municipal council,” explains Warnez.
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Political leave, permanent formation
CD&V also proposes to give every municipal councilor — depending on the size of the municipality — 2 to 4 days of political leave with a replacement income, as with other forms of career break.
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The party also wants to make the mandate more student-friendly and grant them a special status. This makes it easier for them to participate in digital municipal councils.
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The Christian Democrats also propose better support for municipal councilors with targeted and permanent (e-)training, as well as with a decree right to official assistance.
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Efficiency Research
Another proposal is that municipal councilors are given the opportunity to have an effectiveness study carried out for municipal regulations. Such an investigation checks whether the policy is working properly and whether the resources are being used efficiently.
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Finally, the municipal council president will have a more important role in the proposal and he or she will become more independent.
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A survey conducted by CD&V among nearly 350 municipal councilors shows that 44 percent of them believe that they cannot weigh enough on policy, partly because they are not involved enough and have too few powers.
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