brabant on the move 2015 – 2019 administrative …...brabant on the move 1/92 table of contents 1....

Brabant on the move2015 – 2019 Administrative Agreement

Brabant on the move 1/92

Table of contents

1. Brabant renews 5

2. Brabant works 15

3. Brabant innovates 23

4. Brabant sustains 31

5. Brabant transports 39

6. Brabant goes green 47

7. Brabant connects 57

8. Brabant is buzzing 65

9. Brabant governs 73

10. Brabant renews together 81

11. Portfolio division 85

12. 2015-2019 Financial Framework 91

Brabant on the move 2/92

Brabant renews

Brabant on the move | Brabant renews 5/92

1. Brabant renews

Brabant appears to be on the way to a sustainable recovery. With its strong industrial foundation and its reputation as a centre for innovative business activities, Brabant’s economy is booming. The future looks bright for the high-end manufacturing industry, foreign export is growing, the wholesale sector is improving and consumer confidence is increasing. Spring has sprung following an economic winter. Things are looking up and growth is attracting new investments. In Brabant we are fully aware that in the Dutch language ‘region’ is an anagram of ‘growth’. However, despite the beckoning prospects of economic opportunities for growth in our region, we will nevertheless have to deal with a number of key social

challenges in the time ahead. These challenges of the future have to do with increasing the flexibility of our job market, making our economy circular, making our agricultural more sustainable, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, organising smart and sustainable transport, adapting to demographic changes and increasing the vitality of the natural world and landscapes around us.

In order to tackle these challenges adequately in the coming years and to make the most of opportunities, a modern provincial government is required that can give an innovative boost to the collaboration which is so typical of Brabant between citizens, social organisations,


government bodies, the business community and knowledge institutions. In order to achieve real breakthroughs on these themes we have to innovate socially, try things out together and dare to experiment and take risks. This requires the provincial government to operate more flexibly and dynamically than ever before. It will have to adapt smartly and constructively to initiatives from society itself.

Society in Brabant is full of energy, and there is movement from the bottom up. ‘Brabanders’ (residents of Brabant) are no longer prepared to wait for the government, but are instead starting to take action themselves. They are feeling more and more responsible for the future of our province. Supported by new digital techniques and social

media, they are organising their own energy supplies, are setting up care cooperatives and are building their own homes. Society in Brabant is buzzing with all kinds of small-scale initiatives and (social) innovations. We the government must make better use of that social force, which is a unique Brabant quality, by loosening the reins and offering space to innovations and bottom-up initiatives. Adapting to this dynamism of ‘collaboration’ can lead to positive effects for Brabant as a whole from social, economic and ecological perspectives. This ‘collaboration’ is a value which is deeply rooted in our province. ‘Brabanders’ attach particular importance to mutual solidarity and entrepreneurship which takes account of quality of life.


In this administrative agreement we look for answers to the most important social challenges facing Brabant. To be more precise, we look for answers in the form of a number of ambitions. By choosing these ambitions we intend to challenge our social partners to participate actively and propose innovative solutions to achieve outside-the-box renewal in Brabant. To do this we have to find a smart way of linking our existing strength in the field of high-end technology with the ‘energetic society’. Social innovation is only possible on the basis of collaboration and interaction with end users, residents and consumers. The research laboratory is no longer a closed world of industry and science experts in the province, but a living lab instead. We regard Brabant as one large, living laboratory, a test and development

environment where renewal and innovation is the norm. The world of tomorrow is being created here. Brabant is a testing ground for the rest of the Netherlands, Europe and the world. Brabant’s strength is innovation. This means social, technological and social innovation. We are going to use that innovative power more effectively to ensure that Brabant progresses. This literally and figurative requires space, meaning space to experiment and to supply tailor-made solutions. It has to be possible to deviate from the rules more frequently and more simply in order to give promising developments a chance, and to try them and test them. Far too many Brabant innovations get bogged down in red tape. The result is that experiments remain small-scale.


Brabant should be seen as one large, living laboratory, a test and development environment where renewal and innovations are the norm.

In order to realise our ambitions in an innovative fashion, we are opting for a flexible governing style which links up optimally with the social dynamics. Policy is devised more and more often on the basis of co-creation by the provincial authorities with others, rather than by the provincial authorities for others. More horizontal relationships between government and society require new forms of work and networks and competencies. The focus is less on strict management of policymaking and

implementation and more and more on flexibility, the capacity to adapt and improvisation, not by swimming with every tide, but by highlighting and strengthening the promising social initiatives, with our underlying ambitions serving as a compass pointing us in the right direction. This requires provincial authorities who know how to adapt quickly to the social dynamics and continuing innovation. This is the road we want to follow in order to accelerate Brabant’s sustainability. We are aware of the fact that innovation is accompanied by unexpected and unintended consequences. We are approaching those consequences with our eyes wide open. The important thing is to recognise and take opportunities rather than waiting to see how things go, or until we have more security. We learn by doing and aim to achieve


our target. In order to be able to search for innovative solutions, we need a tailor-made provincial government organisation. An organisation that understands the business of co-creation.

What we are concerned about is to place a dot on the horizon to unleash the energy of, and provoke innovative solutions by, ‘Brabanders’. The dot has to have a challenging rather than a fixing effect. For that reason we are using a number of mobilising themes instead of hard and fast plans. This agreement describes those themes in a number of agenda-setting programmes which are intended to provide an answer, right through the existing organisation and in an integral and connecting manner, to what we regard as key social challenges. The themes

are closely related to our core tasks and are formulated actively in verb forms. The focus is on deeds and action! The themes are an invitation to cooperation between the provincial authorities and its partners, between towns and cities and regions, between local authorities themselves and between knowledge institutions, businesses and ‘Brabanders’. We want to accelerate progress, based on the realisation that we have a bright future if we work together. The cooperation will sometimes take place at regional level, with parties in our immediate vicinity. At other times we will collaborate equally willingly with ministries, other European regions or international networks. We regard ourselves as a European region and a Dutch province. We believe the link with the European agenda is particularly relevant for Brabant because, at


European level, the reasoning is not so much in terms of sectors and regions but of social tasks. Internationalisation offers Brabant more opportunities than ever before. It will only be possible to capitalise on those opportunities if we act together energetically.

Place a dot on the horizon to unleash the energy of, and provoke innovative solutions by, ‘Brabanders’.

In this agreement the political parties (VVD, SP, D66 and PvdA) present a new approach. That means showing courage, experimenting and not being afraid to fall down and get straight back up again. We not only want innovation to be apparent in provincial policies, but also in our approach to governing. We are keen to cooperate to renew Brabant. Together with the Provincial Council, our social partners and all ‘Brabanders’ we want to work, during this administrative period, on creating a strong, sustainable and innovative region.

Brabant works

Brabant on the move | Brabant works 15/92

2. Brabant works

In Brabant we know that you cannot strengthen the economic structure without strengthening the social structure. Human capital is the key to the proper functioning of our regional economy. Investing in social confidence is crucially important for sustainable growth, certainly in the light of the drastically changing employment requirements of businesses and sectors and the growing flexibilisation of the job market. Proper interaction and linking between the economy, education and the job market is more important than ever before. The employment market in Brabant has been through a

difficult time in recent years. Too many ‘Brabanders’ are still sidelined. Unemployment, among both young and old, is a major problem.

Strengthening the competitive forces in Brabant and increasing employment participation therefore continue to be urgent social tasks that need addressing. More jobs are needed in Brabant. At the same time it is clear that the ‘traditional’ economy is undergoing renewal. New jobs are consistently being created in the more knowledge intensive (high-level) sectors such as high-tech systems and materials, life sciences & health, food & nutrition, logistics & maintenance and clean-tech. The


focus is more and more on realising smart connections with the SME sector in Brabant, which is the jobs engine and backbone of our economy. What is more, a highly developed knowledge economy cannot survive without a regionally rooted blue-collar economy.

Strengthening Brabant’s competitive edge increases employment participation.

Our focus during this administrative period is to be on encouraging extra economic growth and jobs. Continuing to build on the main themes of the Brabant agenda for growth drawn up by the SER (Social and Economic Council) we will invest in enhancing our international competitive edge and the vitality of our job market.

We believe there are real opportunities for specifically encouraging the economy and for creating more jobs in specific sectors such as manufacturing industry, the leisure economy, logistics and care innovation all of which are key and essential job engines for Brabant, particularly for people with a low-level and mid-level of education. Given our business community’s focus on exports, internationalisation is the key to further growth in the economy. That is why it is necessary to pursue a coherent international policy as regards promoting trade and export and the job market. The Brabant Regional Development Agency [Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij] (BOM), is our powerful implementing body and a vehicle which can direct and support this initiative, including on a cross-border basis, by forging links (and


relations) between the primary sectors and regions in Brabant, between the internationally acknowledged forces of Brainport and those of Midpoint Brabant, AgriFood Capital and the Delta Regio.

With a view to reinforcing our international competitive position in the industry, we are going to intensify cooperation with our neighbours. As far as the SME sector in Brabant is concerned, Germany and Flanders are becoming increasingly important as regards export and knowledge exchanges and cross-border working. European programmes and projects are to be used strategically.

In concrete terms the ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• Together with partners in the Delta Region we are

going to implement the West-Brabant Economic Structure Strengthening Action Plan [Actieplan Economische Structuurversterking West-Brabant], with special attention for the primary clusters of a bio-based economy, maintenance and logistics.

• We are encouraging the further development of Brabant’s primary sectors and clusters (with an emphasis on F35, smart manufacturing industry), with our aim being to involve small and medium-sized enterprises more directly.


• We are facilitating the priority economic clusters in a spatial sense through the development of, among other things, Brainport Innovation Campus, Health Innovation Campus and Logistiek Park Moerdijk, and are going to reorganise the basis through a restructuring of industrial estates.

• We are structurally preserving operating budget for the BOM, as well as for the implementation of improvement programmes (Ondernemerslift, Bright Move, Starterslift) and the employment market policy that we are directing at, among other things, the manufacturing industry, logistics, care innovation and the leisure economy.

• We are starting a revolving leisure investment fund by which we are going to use pre-financing to increase, in an innovative and sustainable manner, the amount of overnight accommodation available for short-stay visits to Brabant. By doing so we are creating more jobs in the construction sector.

• We want to enter into covenants with local authorities in the employment market regions to tackle (youth) unemployment. We are jointly taking the initiative to establish a flexicurity bureau to help ‘Brabanders’ switch successfully from one job to another and from education to work, both within sectors and on a cross-sectoral basis.


• We are changing our purchase and tendering policy, for example by dealing innovatively with social return. By creating smart links between social conditions and purchase and tendering procedures we are going to use our purchasing power to help ‘Brabanders’ who are far removed from the job market to find a job.

• We are giving an extra impulse to our internationalisation and branding strategy, with the aim being to increase our acquisitions at international level and our collaboration with other regions and to strengthen Brabant’s international climate for business.

• We are focusing on the (new) European frameworks and funds (OP-Zuid, Interreg V and POP3) and, with that in mind, are reserving the necessary co-financing.

• In order to reduce the regulatory pressure for citizens and businesses in Brabant we are, where possible, increasing the speed with which permits are processed and are improving our digital services

Brabant innovates

Brabant on the move | Brabant innovates 23/92

3. Brabant innovates

An important condition for sustainable growth is an economy which is flexible, can quickly adapt to change and can itself change in line with new global circumstances. After all, production processes change quickly and market leaders often retain their position for only a short time. In today’s digital network society, innovation is no longer a one-off, fragmented activity by a small number of inventors, but an interactive and permanent process of shaping and modelling which involves everyone, meaning employees at all levels, suppliers and even customers. Although it will still be important to develop new knowledge in the learning economy of tomorrow, it will be even more important

to mobilise and make smart use of knowledge, ideas and techniques which can be found in other companies, sectors and countries. Radical innovation, whereby completely new products are developed and new markets created, does not thrive in old regimes, but requires a people economy and mutual social trust. The strengthening of our ecosystem of open innovation and encouraging the circulation of knowledge are therefore important social tasks. It is precisely because we in Brabant (can) make things that we are so innovative. Innovating is not just something for the drawing board. It also involves experimenting and trying things out.


That requires, quite literally, space to experiment, a test and development environment and a creative climate outside traditional laboratories.

In the coming period, we want to boost the ecosystem in Brabant for open innovation. Meaningful technological and social innovations which make Brabant more sustainable must become mainstream more quickly. To that end we, and a coalition of local authorities, knowledge institutions, businesses and social partners, are going to experiment with Brabant-wide ‘living labs’. Besides developing and testing, we are also going to use the innovations in practice. By investing in tomorrow’s solutions for the huge social challenges facing our region, we will be able to secure a strong worldwide

position. We are promoting ourselves as a testing ground for innovation which is also of interest to foreign businesses, knowledge workers and investors. These labs are intended to facilitate new export products with a Brabant ‘design’ for comparable international issues. Parallel to the roll-out of this social innovation agenda we want to strengthen the education and knowledge infrastructure in Brabant. The focus is therefore also on developing and retaining talent, internationalisation and innovation through cross-fertilisation, in relationships with the universities (of higher education) in Brabant and secondary senior secondary vocational education (mbo) and pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo) schools. Our aim is to achieve a robust and world-class knowledge infrastructure and we are therefore working


together with other parties to ensure the preservation of crucial knowledge institutes such as the Holst Centre and Solliance.

In concrete terms the ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• We are starting three living labs based around the

themes of smart mobility, smart care and a circular economy with focal areas such as ‘information based on people and smart vehicles’, ‘living longer at home with chronic diseases’ and ‘clean-tech as an example of the circular economy’. We are challenging parties to put forward ideas and proposals.

• In collaboration with our secondary senior secondary vocational education (mbo) institutions our aim is to strengthen the education and knowledge infrastructure at pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo) and secondary senior secondary vocational education (mbo) levels, with special attention for the internationalisation of vocational education and the connection between the job market and education (‘The jobs of tomorrow’ - Kennispact 3.0).

• Due to the need for well-trained specialists, we are working with the business community to set up arrangements and continuous learning routes at pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo), secondary senior secondary vocational education (mbo) and higher professional education (hbo) levels. This is being


done primarily in the technology and care sectors, for both young people and adults joining via ‘horizontal intake’.

• In consultation with our universities (TU/e and TiU) we are supporting the foundation of a graduate school for Big Data Science in ’s-Hertogenbosch. We are also exploring the possibility of a similar initiative in relation to, for example, Logistics and Security in Breda. By doing so we are reinforcing the knowledge infrastructure and mutual cohesion between the four major cities.

• We are encouraging the circulation of knowledge between the higher education and knowledge institutions in Brabant and the business community and, to that end, we are supporting the BEAGLE

initiative that is being developed in cooperation with the BOM. We are challenging the partners involved to produce a well thought-out plan as a contribution to the large-scale roll-out of the social innovation agenda in Brabant.

• The presence of an international pool of talent is crucial for Brabant’s innovative power. For that reason we and our partners are developing an International Talent Acquisition programme. The aim is to bind top-flight talent to Brabant and to increase the number of foreign knowledge workers.

Brabant sustains

Brabant on the move | Brabant sustains 31/92

4. Brabant sustains

Since time immemorial Brabant has always been the location of a wide range of agricultural and horticultural activities, from arable farming to aboriculture and from (glasshouse) horticulture to cattle farming. Brabant’s agricultural education programmes, systems and processes are world-class and a unique and important export product. From an international perspective, Noord-Brabant excels even more in the field of nutrition than in the area of high-tech. Nevertheless, the sector is still facing huge and drastic changes. Making the primary agricultural sector sustainable is an urgent social task. In addition, more and more farmers in Brabant are closing down their businesses. This is not only causing social

problems at a business level, but is also creating empty farms, barns and animal sheds. This development is going to continue during the coming period. At the same time, the problems relating to the vitality of the soil for future agricultural use are increasing. Desiccation and intensive fertilising mean a different approach is required to preserve the agricultural sector for the future. A new generation of farmers want to provide us with different and better food, for example through broadening (regional products), the development of new concepts and methods of cultivation relating to the circular economy (agro-ecological agriculture) and the use of new


technology (smart farming). This requires the development of an ecosystem to facilitate the accelerated scaling up of small-scale and sustainable innovations.

Stimulate innovations to make the agro-food sector sustainable.

Our ambition for the coming period is a sector which is socially accepted and appreciated, which produces in an animal-friendly manner, fits in with its natural environment and does not entail any unacceptable health risks. Our aim is to create a sector which produces sustainably and which links up the chains at a Northwest European scale. A true top-flight sector which operates on the basis of its own strength and

responsibility, seizes opportunities relating to innovation and seeks out smart connections with other sectors in order to produce products with high added value. The space required to facilitate this movement is not created automatically. We realise that making the sector sustainable is a precondition for a discussion of new opportunities. The approach being taken by the urgency areas and the Brabant Livestock Farming Consideration Score [Brabantse Zorgvuldigheidsscore Veehouderij] (BZV) represents a start to the creation of confidence as regards building bridges in Brabant in order to achieve accelerated sustainability and innovation of the agrofood sector. Building on this, we are going to encourage the agrofood sector to become more sustainable during this administrative period. We also want it to be a sector


which links up the chain(s), develops new earning models and exports its own knowledge and skills internationally. Quality and added value are key concepts in this regard. A new type of agrofood means we will not just regard manure as waste, but as an opportunity to add value to new products, energy and a ‘circular economy’.

In concrete terms the ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• We regard agriculture as a regular economic sector

and are making the change from policy with generic effect to policy with specific effect on the basis of an added value approach. The sector can develop

provided it fulfils the conditions of sustainability, health, animal-friendliness (on the basis of national guidelines) and social acceptance.

• We want to ensure that the nuisance (particulate matter and odour) of intensive cattle breeding is reduced to an acceptable level. New research into health risks and effects may result in changes to the existing policy.

• We are developing a ‘manure menu’ to provide an insight into the conditions which manure usage, processing and fermentation has to fulfil. In the process we are aiming at targets and not resources.

• As regards large-scale manure processing and fermentation (>50,000 tons) we are going to fulfil a controlling role. We are designating a number


of locations where large-scale processing and fermentation can take place, with minimal nuisance and risks for the living environment.

• We are concentrating heavily on innovation of the agrofood sector. The focus is then on quality and added value, rather than on quantity and efficiency. Examples are the development of new learning models, encouraging cross-sectoral cooperation between, for example, the chemical and agricultural sectors within the framework of the circular economy, the application of design-thinking and research into the possibilities of an agricultural innovation campus.

• We are starting an investigation into the re-designation options of empty and vacant agricultural real estate in rural areas of Brabant and are studying the options for offering space for experimentation.

• We are encouraging the transition to a careful use of soil and, to that end, will be drawing up a policy framework, in the coming administrative period, for provincial soil and water management. We are summoning Brabant businesses to draw up concrete plans on the basis of corporate social responsibility (CSR). We are also reinforcing our efforts to tackle desiccation by making agreements and/or arrangements with businesses that extract water from the soil on a large scale.

Brabant transports

Brabant on the move | Brabant transports 39/92

5. Brabant transports

International physical, digital and organisational connec-tions are a lifeline for the development of Brabant. With its innovative economy our region is a national and European intersection of all kinds of transport flows which, if used smartly, offers opportunities for the logistics sector and manufacturing industry. At the same time this sometimes leads to undesirable effects, such as long traffic jams, congested town centres, emissions and contamination. The social task is to organise our transport system in such a way that it uses raw materials efficiently, is environmentally-friendly and safe and also offers rapid and smart connec-tions to citizens and businesses. This requires a specific approach to tackling bottlenecks, experiments with new mobility concepts, the

smart use of the knowledge and expertise present in the region and the ability to adapt to changes in behaviour, for example those already taking place in the mobility behaviour of citizens and businesses in Brabant. Young residents of Brabant are focusing less (and later) on cars and more on public transport. New technological developments, such as self-driving vehicles, are causing mobility-related breakthroughs. Brabant has strong knowledge clusters in the field of smart mobility. Smart traffic systems which are being developed by Automotive Campus are, for example, helping to realise an improved traffic circulation, fuel saving and lower emissions. Such innovations are a first step. Real progress will be made after scaling up.


Work on a transport system that makes efficient use of raw materials, is environmentally-friendly, safe and offers high-speed connections.

Our aim is to ensure that Brabant is optimally connected, both internally and internationally. With a view to retaining our competitive edge, the quality of structure in Brabant infrastructure, in all its forms (including ICT), must be at least at the same level as that of competing regions. Our aim is to make more effective use of the mass of talent, business activities and knowledge present in the region and to make optimal use of each other’s qualities. It is essential to strengthen the internal cohesion in the Brabant

mosaic metropolis, for example by solving accessibility bottlenecks in Southeast Brabant more rapidly. In the process we are focussing on, for example, the Hooipolder intersection, the Paalgraven intersection, the N279 between ’s-Hertogenbosch and Asten, the N282 between Tilburg and Breda and the N629 between Oosterhout and Dongen. We are continuing the policy in the field of (high-quality) public transport, with attention for the accessibility of rural areas. We are also encouraging bottom-up initiatives for smart and small-scale transport solutions. In addition to this we now view our entire accessibility policy more comprehensively from the wider perspective of sustainable smart mobility, with an eye for multi-modality, innovation and connections with our knowledge institutions. Lastly, international connections between the economic


core areas of Europe are crucial. A properly functioning ‘Flemish-Dutch Delta’ and sound relationships with Germany are also helpful in this respect. In this context we also acknowledge the strategic importance of Eindhoven Airport for the long-term objectives of Noord-Brabant and Brainport. We are keen on continuing the dialogue with the Alders Consultation Platform [Alderstafel] in order to reach a compromise supported by local residents, the local authority and Eindhoven Airport. The focus during this process is on the development of innovative solutions to reduce nuisance. In concrete terms the ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• We are improving accessibility in Southeast Brabant,

with a focus on the A58/A67 and N279. While retaining the existing connection at Eerde, and within the

framework of the approach to the N279 as a whole, we are realising a new connection to the A50 at Veghel, a 2x1 lane ring road at De the Dubbelen/Foodpark and a half-sunken stretch at Doornhoek (Veghel).

• Wherever necessary for the flow of traffic on the N279 between ’s-Hertogenbosch and Asten, we are constructing flyovers with a future capacity of 2x2 lanes. In the neighbourhood of Dierdonk (Helmond) we are constructing a suitably integrated 2x1 lane bypass.

• Due to the urgent and exceptional situation we are making it a priority to tackle the bottlenecks in the Southeast Brabant region. This concerns, among other things, short-cut traffic in and around Nuenen and the noise barrier around the A270. In the process we are examining all the measures that are required to improve


traffic flow, safety and noise nuisance.• In addition we are focusing heavily on accompanying

mobility policy. This means encouraging the High-quality Public Transport Network [Hoogwaardig Openbaar Vervoer-netwerk] (HOV), bicycle traffic and the modal shift in goods transport. In the context of a comprehensive area process and in cooperation with the businesses, knowledge institutions and local authorities present in Southeast Brabant, smart mobility applications of the future are also going to be developed, tested and rolled out wherever possible.

• The existing Savings and Infra Fund [Spaar- en Infrafonds] is to remain intact. We are broadening the objective to integral mobility in order to use the

preserved resources on other mobility parties and modalities as well (bicycle, rail, water and pipeline transport) and are extending the term of the fund.

• Following on from the ‘Bicycle Acceleration’ [Fiets in de versnelling] initiative we are starting research into the possibilities and opportunities of rapid and strategic high-quality cycling connections and fast cycling routes for e-bikes in Brabant. In the process we are also investigating the possibilities for facilitating this development as a launching customer.

• We are drawing up a multi-year quality vision on how to maintain our provincial infrastructure, in which we indicate our level of ambition as regards price/quality of maintenance and (roadside) management.


• Together with our partners we are starting an exploratory investigation into the railway line between Breda and Utrecht and an extra track on the line between Tilburg and Breda. We are also urging national government to tackle bottlenecks in the transfer of people and goods by railway in Brabant as a matter of urgency.

• Within the framework of the National Level Crossings Improvement Programme [Landelijk Verbeterprogramma Overwegen] (LVO) we are supporting local authorities with their project applications.

• We are updating the provincial vision on the waterways in Brabant, with attention for integral connections with other modalities (road, rail and pipeline transport).

• We are focusing on improving the traffic safety on our local roads.

• We are aiming to achieve effective cooperation between local authorities in the Area Based Approach of Traffic and Transport Issues [Gebiedsgerichte Aanpak Verkeer en Vervoer] (GGA), based on us taking control to achieve a more balanced use of resources.

• We are developing a coherent vision of the international connections in Brabant (rail, goods, people), including using the Brabant Route [Brabantroute], the North-South Line (underground line in Amsterdam) [Noord-Zuidlijn] and the rail link between Zeeland and Antwerp for goods transport by rail [VeZA-boog].

Brabant goes green

Brabant on the move | Brabant goes green 47/92

6. Brabant goes green

Brabant is not only rich socially and economically, but also ecologically. The wide variety of nature and landscapes is unique and irreplaceable. The high pressure on biodiversity is forcing us not only to take care of our natural world, but also the available raw materials and energy. This requires a transition to a greener, cleaner and sustainable economy. Brabant businesses are contributing to ‘clean technology’, with examples being solar energy, biofuel from algae and heat and cold storage, but still constitute a source of contamination. Just as the authors of the Brabant Energy Agreement [Brabants Energieakkoord] indicated, our region can and must become cleaner and more sustainable by focusing

more on sustainable energy. This transition is not going to take place in isolation but is a large-scale social task. It offers opportunities for a healthy living environment, with the emphasis on savings and on sustainable generation on the basis of eco-innovation. The challenge is to link green economy and sustainable energy smartly with the efforts to make the housing stock in Brabant more sustainable, with our economic clusters, with knowledge and innovation and the dynamism of the residents of Brabant who, independently or in a network, are working to create more sustainable Brabant.


Accelerate the process of making the Brabant economy green and sustainable.

Using the Brabant Energy Agreement [Brabants Energieakkoord] as a basis we are going to focus in the years ahead on accelerating the process of making the economy in Brabant green and sustainable. A firm focus on a green economy and sustainable energy is resulting, for all ‘Brabanders’, in lower energy bills, more jobs, clean air and a better environment. The focus in this respect is on more than just energy and climate. We regard the greening process as a catalyst for change and dynamism in Brabant, on the way to improved health, a greener region and future-proof employment.

In the process we appealed to the innovative power of Brabant. Consequently we believe there are opportunities for the business community and knowledge institutions in Brabant to preserve the housing stock in Brabant with sustainable technologies and thereby strengthen the province’s competitive position. Brabant can use all this knowledge in a growing global market for cleantech products. In order to accelerate this development we are creating space for pilots and fulfilling the role of launching customer. We are focusing as much as we have ever done on promoting the biodiversity in Brabant by ecological structure strengthening. For that reason we are going to continue robustly implementing the Brabant nature network. We also believe that there are opportunities to create smart links between the nature


task with the target to achieve a green economy. The implementation of an ‘inviting’ nature network requires a more powerful approach by agriculture and the economy and more involvement by citizens and businesses in Brabant. Together with the manifesto partners of ‘Brabant Outdoors’ [Brabant Buiten] we want to use the economic development for more welfare and health in the province.

The ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• We are working together with the signatories to the

Brabant Energy Agreement to accelerate the process of achieving the ambitions of a greener, cleaner and more energy efficient Brabant. We are also creating financial

space based on the provincial immunisation portfolio for the market-compliant financing of sustainable projects in the field of energy.

• Together with local authorities, housing corporations and homeowners we are working to achieve an energy-neutral housing stock in 2050. This will mean tackling 800,000 homes in Brabant. The short-term aim is to achieve 1,000 energy neutral homes (‘zero on the meter’) throughout Brabant before 2017.

• Our aim is to combine forces to offer building companies in Brabant sufficient demand in the future for the realisation of 1,000 energy-neutral homes. We are challenging the building sector in Brabant to make an offer that is technically far reaching and financially attractive.


• We believe there are economic and social opportunities for, among other things, solar energy and geothermics in Brabant. In addition we are implementing the agreements relating to wind energy which have been made with the national government and local authorities and we are facilitating broadly supported proposals for the use of small-scale wind energy from the bottom up.

• We are working to create a situation whereby people living near wind farms in Brabant can, in the future, share the benefits of green energy, for example by increasing citizens’ opportunities to participate.

• We are developing a plan to start a Cleantech campus, with ‘Het Groene Woud’ provincial landscape park as a living lab. We are encouraging the business community in Brabant and our knowledge institutions to test, implement and market cleantech and eco-innovations.

• We are maintaining our nature-related ambitions. With a view to achieving ‘inviting green’, we are accelerating the process and changing our approach to the realisation of the nature network. We are not placing the emphasis on natural law and procedures but are adapting as much as possible to the ideas and plans of others. Our aim is also to bring about a(n) internal change in culture and to bind the policy field ecology more robustly with the economy, green innovation and leisure economy.


• We are continuing the current water policy. We are doing so with all the parties that can contribute to the realisation of the goals.

• We are structurally going to reduce emissions into the soil, water and air. The provincial government is going to provide clear frameworks for this. This requires new steps which we are keen to take together with businesses, educational and government bodies and citizens. To this end we will be using the provincial regulations and the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen [Programmatische Aanpak Stikstof] (PAS).

Brabant connects

Brabant on the move | Brabant connects 57/92

7. Brabant connects

Brabant is characterised by a dense and attractive mosaic of urban areas and countryside. That mosaic makes the province an attractive place for people to live and work in and spend their leisure time. Demographic and economic developments have caused a change in the dynamism between the urban areas and the countryside and the towns and cities among themselves. Young people are moving to the towns and cities, the population in the countryside is ageing and green areas are disappearing. Pressure on public transport and facilities is increasing as a result. The changing use of space and new forms of economy are also causing real estate to become available and this is increasing vacancy levels. Giving

buildings a new purpose is increasingly becoming the new approach to building. How to bolster the quality of life both in emerging towns and cities and in the shrinking countryside, in changing demographic circumstances, is a huge social task. That task consists of ‘a mix of shrinkage and growth’ and ‘increasing international interlinking’. A strong urban network is essential for an efficient and competitive economy in conjunction with a declining professional population. A shrinking rural population cannot be reversed and the focus needs to be primarily on reinforcing the quality of life.


Connecting town and country will create a strong ecosystem of social innovation.

In the coming period we are going to invest in the strength of town and country by focusing on an integral policy aimed at regional cohesion between major (central) cities, medium-sized cities and small (rural) local authorities. We believe town and country need to be connected to ensure a strong ecosystem of social innovation. The exceptional power of town and country can be retained if viewed not purely from a quantitative perspective, but from a qualitative one as well. Viewing Brabant as a mosaic metropolis makes it possible to link together a larger network of urban cores. That is a response

which will create the necessary mass and density for an internationally competitive climate for business. This requires a coherent whole of towns and agglomerations that trust and reinforce each other. The approach needs to be not on competition, but simply on ‘borrowing from the neighbours’. We are encouraging local authorities to base their policies on complementarity. As regards quality of life, our aim is knowledge sharing and we are providing solutions without taking on the responsibilities of local authorities. With our spatial policy we are creating the necessary spaces (to experiment) to support initiatives which will enhance the quality of life.


In concrete terms our ambitions are resulting in the following activities:• We are preparing a provincial environment vision

and are going to submit it to the Provincial Council for approval before the Environment and Planning Act [Omgevingswet] comes into effect. The vision provides an integral policy framework for as many of the aspects referred to in the Act as possible which relate to the physical living environment. The vision is to be designed by means of an interactive process based on participation by interest groups and individual citizens.

• We are encouraging flexible regulations and tailor-made initiatives from the bottom up which will reinforce the quality of life of the living environment. In line with our targets, we are striving to implement a tailor-made

approach for Brabant as well as implementation of the Environment and Planning Act. In anticipation of the Environment and Planning Act we are adapting, where necessary, the (existing) Spatial Planning Regulation [Verordening Ruimte] in order to create a flexible framework for bottom-up initiatives.

• Within the framework of the national government’s Delta Programme [Deltaprogramma] we are taking account of measures to protect the country against flooding in the form of the so-called ‘Multi-layered Safety’ [meerlaagsveiligheid] concept, with three layers being prevention, town and country planning and evacuation.


• We are using our regional spatial transportation and cooperation platform, known as BrabantStad, to ensure that the linking of town and country is placed on the agenda and to strengthen the complementarity between local authorities themselves and between urban regions. We are doing this by, for example, collaborating on BrabantStad projects and by organising theme-based cooperation relating to vacant and available real estate, smart industry, food, the circular economy and the water and climate task.

• We are aiming for strong, healthy and vibrant inner cities and a good level of facilities in the region. For that reason we are reticent when it comes to large-scale retail developments in the outlying areas. We

are applying ‘the ladder for sustainable urbanisation’ to encourage the careful use of space and the redesignation of industrial estates.

• Together with the local authorities in Brabant we are developing a vision on how to oversee shrinkage. To that end we are introducing, among other things, a fresh think tank comprising (young) ‘Brabanders’ who are going to collect and share smart solutions and inspiring examples to improve (the) quality (of life). This independent think tank and action committee will literally and figuratively look beyond the (provincial) borders and existing policy fields and sectors.

Brabant is buzzing

Brabant on the move | Brabant is buzzing 65/92

8. Brabant is buzzing

Brabant has a plentiful stock of social and cultural capital. That capital is not only valuable for social cohesion and cultural vitality, but also has all kinds of positive social and economic effects. These include sport and cultural provisions which contribute to the international profile of our region, better education, improved health and the active participation of ‘Brabanders’ in society. These provisions largely determine Brabant’s identity and individual feel, from an international perspective as well. They only function properly if there is enough public interest and these days that is not something that can be taken for granted. The public are looking for experiences, do not commit themselves that easily, and are keen to

be given new guidance. The social task is therefore to promote an attractive cultural climate. A climate that interests and binds young and old both in Brabant and elsewhere. We have to promote Brabant as having an exceptional infrastructure and as offering sports and cultural activities which make it stand out nationally and internationally. There is a good reason why tourists flock to the Dutch Design Week and to the Incubate festival. We have a lively culture and that is reflected on the region. Our province is buzzing because culture is regarded here as a social and economic activity. This links up nicely with the active society of independent doers and makers.


We want to encourage an attractive cultural climate that interests and binds young and old, both in Brabant and elsewhere.

In the coming period our aim is a Brabant that is buzzing from a cultural point of view. We want to continue to invest innovatively in art and culture, in sport and in cultural heritage. We are going to do this on the basis of the realisation that the power of imagination is an important role material for Brabant’s development. The point of departure for this is the idea behind Brabant C, which means thinking in terms of innovating chains and networks. We are aiming to create a future in which more art and culture of national and international importance

can be seen and experienced in Brabant. We are also looking continually for smart connections between culture, the economy, technology and our education and knowledge institutions. This is giving us a basis for some rigorous choices. We are actively focusing on young people and young talent in order to inspire them and bind them to Brabant. It is important to reinforce Brabant’s image as an attractive cultural region for young target groups. To that end we are supporting initiatives by young people themselves who can reinforce our international reputation in the field of, for example, gaming and dance. One way we want to do this is by offering more space in the region to dance festivals through temporary permits or by making additional facilities available. We are also


going to contact new and unknown public groups who can boost our cultural infrastructure. Our ambitions are resulting in the following concrete activities:• We are developing a new policy framework for

heritage complexes. The idea is to be able to make more rigorous choices regarding which image-defining complexes of cultural-historical value we want to retain through modern redesignation. On the basis of a substantiated selection we will carry out more specific public-private investments. We invest only if there is a substantiated future return. In other words, there has to be a market.

• After the end of the current sports plan (2016) we are going to develop a smaller, but better defined and more focused plan. We are looking for sports

events and activities with added value for Brabant’s international and innovative profile. In the process we are taking account of the supramunicipal, regional aspects of sports for people with disabilities and are actively seeking to link this with other policy fields.

• We are starting a pilot to encourage people to visit museums in Brabant. In the pilot we specify a number of moments at which ‘Brabanders’ can visit a number of museums (yet to be determined) free of charge. The pilot is to be used as a basis for assessing what are, broadly, the positive effects for the cultural infrastructure in Brabant.


• We are continuing to invest in improving language skills and media wisdom in Brabant by continuing the existing language skills programme at provincial level which includes, among other things, a focus on the library function at schools.

• We are confident that the South Netherlands Philharmonic [philharmonie zuidnederland] will, in the coming period, prove its added value as a vital part of the province’s cultural ecosystem. On that basis, we are examining the possibilities of supporting the orchestra.

• During this administrative period we are going to assess how to structure work with the provincial support institutions in the future, how we can add maximum value, via these institutions, to the cultural and social

network in Brabant, what the provincial government’s task will actually be, and where the cooperation could be different, or perhaps more effective.

• As a progressive region we are working on a convincing and appealing cultural infrastructure and programming to strengthen the climate for living and business in the province. In close consultation with the culture sector and the towns and cities in Brabant we are working to help create a robust (lobby) agenda on which to base our contacts with national government in order to obtain more financial resources from the national basic infrastructure and culture funds.

Brabant governs

Brabant on the move | Brabant governs 73/92

9. Brabant governs

During the coming administrative period we want to work on the social tasks referred to here. We are going to do that by directing and giving more space to the strengths and initiatives of society in Brabant itself. We see the role of the provincial government as developing towards that of facilitator, initiator and supporter of such initiatives. That requires a revised administrative approach, a flexible administration, supported by an official and yet tailor-made organisation. This means an organisation which is able to network in co-creation with numerous public and private actors. Of course, flexibility is essential. The organisation must know how to switch quickly between various scales and kinds of partnerships

in which the provincial government operates, often in changing contexts with increasing numbers of social partners and agendas. More than ever, our citizens and businesses demand that, besides implementing traditional task adequately, we give them more space and have the inspiration to organise, connect and activate them. Local authorities, citizens and businesses need that space to realise tailor-made solutions, to experiment and to make their own choices. Such an approach requires the organisation to change its culture. The strengthening and renewing of our administrative power is not something that affects the provincial government alone, but all local authorities in Brabant.


We need to get to work on the social tasks and provide direction and space for the individual strengths and initiatives of society in Brabant.

Our ambition is to make Brabant the ultimate innovation region of Europe and leader as regards economic development and administrative renewal. We are therefore focusing on an active, dynamic provincial government that makes maximum use of society’s strengths. We want to do this in collaboration with our local authorities. In line with local responsibility, the process of creating a Powerful Administration in Brabant has been deliberately organised from the bottom up, but

is by no means voluntary. It is determined by content, from which the structure follows. The point of departure continues to be to organise government as closely as possible to the citizens of Brabant. As the provincial government we do not intend to take over the tasks of the local authorities. We therefore organise our (financial) supervision of local authorities superficially wherever possible and more hands-on where necessary. We are reassessing the tangle of existing administrative arrangements. As a consequence of technology and digitalisation, social developments are taking place more and more quickly. With a view to keeping in touch, we are continuing the tradition of inspired forward thinking with periodical trend days. In consultation with the Provincial Council we are going to experiment with new


forms of administration and citizen involvement. A key responsibility is to ensure a safe region. For that reason we keep a keen eye on any undermining activities that affect public administration.

In concrete terms the ambitions referred to here are resulting in the following activities:• In close consultation with the provincial directorate we

are working on a future-proof and vital tailor-made organisation. We are creating space for young people so that they can start working for Brabant. A focus on efficiency must result in a structural saving on the budget for the organisation’s costs.

• At the start of the administrative period we are going to take the initiative of updating Brabant’s Agenda. We are actively challenging everyone, but particularly young people in the province, to make proposals on how the updating process can be organised more innovatively. We want to preserve the involvement and representation of the entire population of Brabant.

• We want to consult with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) to investigate possibilities for differentiation between local authorities on the basis of range of tasks. In consultation with BZK we want to experiment with new forms of effective government.

• We endorse ‘The Seven’ of the Association of Brabant Municipalities [Vereniging van Brabantse Gemeenten] (VBG) and want to start consultations on the matter.


Supplementary to ‘The Seven’ we want, in close consultation with the VBG, to provide a transparent insight into the quality of the province’s local authorities as a whole and for all ‘Brabanders’.

• We are working on cross-border cooperation with regions within the Netherlands and elsewhere. This means regions which, together with us, can generate social, economic and ecological added value. To that end we are expanding our internationalisation agenda from economy to all other provincial policy fields and/or sectors.

• After a positive evaluation we are continuing our contribution to the Zeeland-Brabant Taskforce and are bringing the problem of undermining crime constantly to the attention of national government.

• The functioning of the environmental services is another constant point of concern. In anticipation of a possible national government evaluation, we are urging the minister to view Brabant as an innovation pilot.

• We are encouraging new forms of government and citizen involvement in the development of provincial policy. We are creating space for valuable, innovative initiatives by society in both (less) regulation and in drawing up of) frameworks.

Brabant renews together

Brabant on the move | Brabant renews together 81/92

10. Brabant renews together

With this administrative agreement our focus is on an innovative way of working, with plenty of space for the communal development of new plans and proposals. This requires an open governing style. Our challenge is to have this debated by the Provincial Council. Our executive agreement offers space to do just that. At the start of projects and processes we are keen to hold discussions with Provincial Council in order to put frameworks in place and to exert an influence. At the same time we are seeing that, in the network society and in conjunction with the increase in co-creative processes which we favour, the roles of the Provincial Council and the Provincial Executive are changing. During the coming period we will make

it a priority, together with the Provincial Council, to find new forms of work while respecting everyone’s role and responsibility. On the basis of a proper partnership and consultation we want to increase the quality and flexibility of Brabant’s administrative ‘team’. The necessary condition to innovate with others will be a change to our own methods of working. New connections are crucial for innovations. Innovation therefore means tapping into and attracting new networks, of all those (new) ‘Brabanders’ who want to contribute to the future of our region. We are challenging all ‘Brabanders’ to collaborate with us in the coming period. Together we will ensure that Brabant stays on the move!

Brabant on the move | Brabant renews together 82/92

Portfolio division

Brabant on the move | Portfolio division 85/92

11. Portfolio division

King’s CommissionerWim van de Donk

• Administrative coordination• Administrative integrity/Public Administration

(Probity Screening) Act [Wet bevordering integriteitsbeoordelingen door het openbaar bestuur] (BIBOB)

• European Committee of the Regions• Public Affairs• Affairs of state

Econoy and internationalisationBert Pauli, VVD

• Economy (including agrofood-economy) and Innovation• Internationalisation, Branding and Contact-events• Education and Employment Market,• Moerdijk Port Authority, Aviolanda and Coordination

of shareholdings• IPO board• First deputy to the King’s Commissioner


Nature, Environment and EnforcementJohan van den Hout, SP

• Nature• Water• Environment• Permit renewals• Supervision and enforcement• Second deputy to the King’s Commissioner

Agriculture development, Energy and AdministrationAnne-Marie Spierings, D66

• Agriculture, Horticulture and Cattle Breeding• Sustainable energy and Energy Transition• Enexis Participation• Administration new style, flexible/powerful

administration, supervision of the local authorities and financial supervision of the water boards

• Third deputy to the King’s Commissioner


Space and financesErik van Merrienboer, PvdA

• Space, Living and Environment Vision• Development company• Work locations and retail• Finances• Fourth deputy to the King’s Commissioner

Mobility and CooperationChristophe van der Maat, VVD

• Mobility• Regional cooperation, Brabantstad, updating Brabant’s

Agenda• Organisation development• Knowledge & Research• Fifth deputy to the King’s Commissioner


Quality of life and CultureHenri Swinkels, SP

• Quality of life and Society• Culture and Sport• Monuments and Heritage (complexes)• Health Coordination• Sixth deputy to the King’s Commissioner

Financial Framework 2015-2019

Brabant on the move | 2015-2019 Financial Framework 91/92

12. 2015-2019 Financial Framework

Space 2015-2019 Structural

Financial space 115 15Act on Motorised Vehicles Tax fixation surcharge

- 12 - 5

Responsibilities that can be reprioritised

28,5 15

Organisation’s efficiency responsibility

18 8,5

Budgte affect of extension of saving and infra fund

60 -

Balance 209,5 33,5

Intensification 2015-2019 Structural

Security 2 -Agrofood 16 -Energy 2 -Ecology 29 6Economy 69 15,5Employment market 22,5 5Internationalisation & branding

5 1

Culture and society 20 5Vital organisation 16,5 -Balance 182 32,5

Space for new policy 27,5 1

* These amounts have been rounded off to whole or half millions of euros

*

Brabant on the move | 2015-2019 Financial Framework 92/92

Investment strategy Space 3rd tranche 238Heritage ambition adjustment 20Brabant C ambition adjustment 15Revolving use of economic structure strengthening

20

Balance 293

Investments

Agrofood transition 15Energy transition 20Energy-neutral homes 8Ecological structure strengthening 50Delta Programme 30Economic structure strengthening 150Culture and quality of life 20 Balance 293

Dozens of organisations and bodies have submitted a manifesto for this administrative agreement by way of inspiration. All the manifestos can be found at www.brabant.nl/manifesten.

Brabantlaan 1

Postbus 90151

5200 MC ’s-Hertogenbosch

Telephone no. +31 (0)73 681 28 12

Fax no. +31 (0)73 614 11 15

[email protected]

www.brabant.nlMay 2015

brabant on the move 2015 – 2019 administrative …...brabant on the move 1/92 table of contents 1....

Documents