city of ghent - european commissionec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/conferences/udn...the city...
TRANSCRIPT
The Urban Development Network
CITY OF GHENT
Ghent1-2 December 2016
Peer-review workshop
Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies
The city at a glance
Ghent is a “pocket sized metropolis”, combining the intimacy of a small city with
the openness of a metropolis (Charles Landry, 2011)
Facts & figures
500,000 inhabitants in metropolitan area256,261 inhabitants in Ghent 161 different nationalities74,000 students 15,643 ha surface170,249 jobsJob ratio 104.8%Unemployment: 12.8%25 neighbourhoods
Ghent, city with a diversifying population
• Total population exceeds 250,000 (2014)
• The population is on the rise since 1999 (12% increase, after decreasing for 19 years).
• Ghent has a relatively young population compared to the rest of Flanders, though almost 1 out of 3 inhabitants is 55 or older.
• The city is a melting pot of 156 different nationalities.
Ghent is ethnically and culturally becoming more and more diversified with 19% belonging to an ethno-cultural minority
Ghent, city of culture and tourism
• Ghent is host of the International Film Fest
• Ghent is a UNESCO City of Music and has a wild range of musical events.
• The ten-day Ghent Festivities is the largest European city festival.
• Ghent is 3rd in the National Geographic Traveler Magazine ranking of authentic destinations.
Ghent is a big cocktail of styles in art, design, architecture and music. History is gracefully connected to modern design and art.
Ghent, city of innovation and creativity
• Largest student city of Flanders (70.000 students)
• The ‘Academic Ranking of World Universities’ puts Ghent University as Belgium’s top-institution
• 13 research centers of world class (e.g. the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology).
• The creative economy counts more than 500 creative and innovative enterprises and more than 6,000 workplaces.
Ghent BC (Big in Creativity) is a network of researchers, entrepreneurs and government stimulating the knowledge economy.
Ghent, city of future-oriented businesses
• 170,249 jobs
• Industry plays an important role in local employment and knowledge networks: OCAS, CRM, SIM, …
• An innovative economy (bio-energy, biotechnology, ICT) with strong patent position
• Room for new projects: more than 1,000 acres assigned to Logistics, Knowledge Economy and Services
The economic structure is determined by the Port of Ghent, wich is providing almost 30,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs.
Context
• Logo of city• Map of city in the region/
• Demography• Density• Economy and produc• Social synthesis • Environmental aspec
• Ghent is the capital city of the province of East Flanders
• Ghent is situated at the crossroads of other economically strong areas such as the Randstad Holland in the north, the Ruhrgebied in the east, London in the west and Paris and Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing in the south.
•That the European Commission recognizes cities as a true level of governance.
•External constructive feedback on the ISUD Ghent
•Discussing several topics
•Best practices
•Networking
Your expectations from the Peer-Review Workshop
Three questions you would like peers to discuss
• How to deal with ‘keys’ that are closely guarded by regional or national authorities?
• How to improve the quality of citizen participation?
• How to cope with stakeholders with different expectations?
3
Experience in ISUDS
V. The Outward
• ERDF 2000 – 2006: • Management: city of Ghent, budget 10 milion euro• Focus on urban renewal projects in the 19th century
belt: Pre-port, Oxygen for the Brugse Poort, Bridges to Rabot
• ERDF 2007 – 2013 & 2014 - 2020• Management Flemish Region, 4 priorities• PRIORY AXE 4: Urban renewal
• Flemish Urban Renewal Fund (2002 – 2016 – successful in 10 calls)
• Flemish Cities Fund: long-range plans (1997 – 2016)• Federal Urban Policy (2000 – 2014)
6
Building the evidence base for the strategy
• 2003: New departemental structure.
• Introduction department of general services
• New offices: urban policy, data & monitoring,…
• 2011 – 2012: Route towards a new legislature:
• Participation: the opinion of citizens and neighbourhood programmes
• Transversal city analysis: state of the art, image, diversity, public space, green spaces, housing, health, culture, sports, …
• Evaluation of the city policy 2006 – 2012
• Calculation of the financial equilibrium and possibilities
Building the evidence base for the strategy
• 2013:
• New board of Mayor and Deputy Mayors > new mission 2030 and strategy
• Translate strategy into operational objectives
• Linking activities & projects to operational objectives
• Indicators are formulated at every level of the strategic cascade for evaluation purposes,
• Multi-annual plan 2014 – 2019 & budget 2014 approved
• 2014:
• Integration in city managers office
• Start integrated strategy & strategic coördination• .
7
Vision and objectives
GHENT: CITY WITH A MISSION
Ghent is an open, inclusive, smart and child-friendly city. It connects all forces to develop the city into a lasting and livable whole and in doing so shapes the future.
Ghent wants to be a creative forerunner in the transition towards a climate-neutral city. We are building an eco-friendly and diversified economy that brings welfare for all.
By doing so, we develop a community of responsible citizenswho can develop themselves freely and who can count on the necessary support.
8
An industrialized city (18th -19th century)
A medieval metropolis (11th – 14th century
Vision and objectives
Strategic Cascade
• 9 main strategic goals• 40 strategic goals• Operational goals en project operational goals• Activities• Projects• Actions
8
International policyGhent puts emphasis on international cooperation and the exchange of experience and know-how.
“No smart city without smart citizens”
“Smart city ecosystem: connect citizens”
Smart cities – smart citizens
• Assessment framework
• Neighbourhood managers
• Programme directors
• Sogent: Urban development company
• Public Private Partnership:
• Enhance services
• Strategic funding
• Use of temporary empty public space
• Crowd funding
• Sustainable assessment tool
Policy tools10
Needs & ideas
Strategic Multi-annual plan2014-2019
Ambition EFRO
Doelstelling 2
Ambition EFRO Interreg
Ambition Horizon 2020
Ambition Erasmus +
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT
Grants
• The most important building block of a Smart City: the Smart
Citizen
• Smart Cities need Smart Citizens to be truly inclusive, innovative and sustainable.
Smart Citizen
Question for round table 1
Question 1: How to deal with ‘keys’ that are closely guarded by regional or national authorities?
Why: Top down approach Flemish Region. Urban policy less important (ERDF 2014 - 2020: 8% ERDF 2007-2013: 25%), Gold plating: MS introduce rules which are more prescriptive than what is mentioned in EU rules & regulations, Extra administrative burden
What has been done: Strategic Funding acts as a competence centre for ‘Group Ghent’: looking for opportunities, matching, tailor made support
What worked: Realistic & audit proof projects (goals, timing, budget,…)
What did not work: Success rate in Horizon 2020 & Interreg is uncertain. Competition between (regional/European) cities
Question for round table 2
Question 2: How to improve the quality of citizen participation?
Why: The most important building block of a smart city: the smart citizen, Smart cities need smart citizens to be truly inclusive,innovative & sustainable
What has been done: A special service ‘Policy participation’ & ‘Integrated Urban Development’ sets up co-operation with citizens
What worked: Temporary use of vacant places & buildings, crowdfunding, Bicycle streets, Living streets, concept study for the neighbourhood Muide – Meulestede
What did not work: Organisational shift is necessary, there are often barriers within the government (suspicion, no rules or regulations,…)
Question for round table 3
Question 3: How to cope with professional stakeholders with different expectations?
Why: Urban development projects are complex, have a long-term horizon, expectations & interests are often incompatible,…
What has been done: The city of Ghent acts as a director
What worked: Public private partnership, capacity building public services & introducing new instruments (e.g. Urban development company, Program directors, Policy participation, quality board,…),
What did not work: Priorities are changing, to maintain long-term engagement is a hard job. Trial & error, regulations PPS don’t fit with reality, discussions with the Flemish region are often tough.
Thank you for your attention.