Governance in the mid-section of Dutch administrion: struggle for survival of the Metropolitan region Ruud van der Ploeg Senior advisor transport infrastructure Stadsregio Amsterdam EMTA-meeting Prague May 2012

Content How powers are divided now Challenge to create adequate governance Process steps Transition period Current situation….. EMTA Prague May 2012

Netherlands divided in 19 PTA’s controlling 70 concessions 7 different operators EMTA Prague May 2012

Invoegen kaartje randstad en daarbinnen de stadsregio (is dat er?) City Region of Amsterdam within the broader “Randstad”-area EMTA Prague May 2012

Organisation Stadsregio Amsterdam Municipal Councils Regional Assembly Board of Executives Local Transport Aldermen Advisory Commissions

Fields of coordination LivingLiving WorkingWorking MobilityMobility Youth careYouth care

EMTA Prague May 2012 Government coalition program, Administration (2010) -Administrations concentrate themselves on core tasks (province: land use planning, economy, environment); -Execution of government tasks as close to the civilians as possible; -Not more than two government institutions involved with one task or subject; - Proposal for scaling provincial government in Randstad- area; -Proposal to transfer compentencies tot a new Infrastructure Authority; -Proposal to abolish the level of Wgr+ regions (PLUS- regios) en district councils (within cities) ;

Last decree of conservative Dutch Administration Take the PLUS-regions out of the equasion Minister of the Interior, March 1: Make a new Transport Region expanded with City of Almere (fastest growing new conurbation) Central message: think of a construct for governance for 17 municipalities in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region. EMTA Prague May 2012

City region + Almere Almere Amsterdam Zaanstreek Waterland Amstelland Meerlanden

Similar challenge Conurbations all over Europe face a challenge: how to form a construct for regional governance, that is: -cooperative -legally binding -with sufficient democratic legitimacy -balancing the interests of all local stakeholders -within its own boundaries. Search for an adequate compromise for governance of the participating municipalities and balance the interests of the regional government represented by the provinces (Flevoland/Noord-Holland) EMTA Prague May 2012

Which way could it work in the Netherlands? 16 municipalities + 1 city (Almere) already working firmly together, awarded by government with financial means and legal powers (forming the ‘Transport Region’) Anti-lobby of the provinces: Take municipal powers out of the hands of the municipalities and transfer/delegate these to the 2 provinces and 2 cities (Almere and Amsterdam) EMTA Prague May 2012

Integration with government or search new form of governance 1.Succesful for 4 city regions outside Randstad Area: transfer of powers for i.e. public transport to provincial governments 2. For the Randstad cities (The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam): formation of Metropolitan Regions with stronger cities. Government for 4 of the 7 regions, versus Governance by decision of central administration in Metropolitan Regions (Amsterdam – Rotterdam/The Hague) EMTA Prague May 2012

But….a downside ….in which municipalities + provinces are forced to create a transport region. Problem: the central administration failed to work out the details. EMTA Prague May 2012

Since April 23rd 2012 Conservative government resigned  suspension of the legal procedure for transition Central question: will parliament judge the removal of PLUS-regions as controversial? IF YES: new elections and formation of a next coalition will have to shed light on medium government level IF NO : the act of law to strike PLUS regions is likely to be further pursued. To be continued…. EMTA Prague May 2012

Thank you! Ruud van der Ploeg