Our election manifesto in English

Are you not sure whether you are eligible to vote?

Summary of our election manifesto

Never before have nature, well-being and prosperity been as intertwined as currently. The prosperity that comes at the costs of our vulnerable planet, prosperity depleting the soil or polluting air and water, is no true prosperity. We can no longer deplete earth’s resources to gain prosperity. Going forward, we will have to draw our energy from the cosmos. We will have to undergo massive changes, towards a world in which the health of both mankind and the planet is the norm. Those changes are already happening, can be felt in society, and are becoming increasingly visible in political agendas. Also in Oss, in particular in Oss even.

GroenLinks’ ambitions are sky-high. We believe it is necessary to rethink the organisation of our country and municipality. We have to ensure the municipality continues remains a municipality to be proud of, even in a few generations. We believe this is possible. We believe in Oss as a home for everyone, with enjoyable living conditions, pristine air, and a municipality inhabitants can build upon – and not the other way around.

What we will do in the next 4 years:

1. Maintain and enlarge existing green zones: Too many trees are felt in Oss. We will stop this. Additionally, all felt trees will be compensated by two newly planted trees. Felling permits will be imposed,  and we will plant 10.000 new trees in the upcoming 4 years.
2. Ban on fireworks: GroenLinks want a total ban on consumer fireworks. Fireworks are obnoxious and harm the environment, people and animals. Particulate matter released through firework explosions is a significant risk for public health.
3. Renewable energy to combat the climate crisis: To get rid of polluting energy and variable prices, we will have to generate clean energy ourselves. If it were up to GroenLinks, we would do so using a balanced mix between windmills and solar panels, on as many suitable places as possible throughout the entire municipality – without excluding any particular areas beforehand. We cannot burden future generations with a climate problem, so we have to act and build as soon as possible.
4. Municipal utility company: Generating clean energy should be under local ownership as much as possible. The best way to do so is by a municipal utility company. This would make the municipality the owner of all windmills and solar parks. Financial profits would subsequently be for the benefit of inhabitants and the environment/neighbourhood, enabling fair compensation for both people and nature affected by energy generation.
5. Pay according to capacity: The financial burden of the energy transition should be carried by the strongest shoulders. Large companies use the most energy, and therefore they should greatly bet on energy savings. On the other side, the municipality should support energy savings amongst people living on a smaller budget. This can be achieved through so-called energy coaches, assisting households in reducing energy costs through energy savings or solar panels.
6. Support sustainable agriculture: We support and stimulate sustainable agriculture and we end megafarms. On municipal grounds leased by farms, we prohibit the use of agricultural toxins and artificial fertilizers. Consulting both farmers and nature conservation organisations we will come up with a roadmap towards sustainable agriculture in the entire municipality, ensuring increased biodiversity and a healthy countryside. We have to pay a fair price for meat, dairy products and eggs, in a manner that provides properly for our farmers. Lastly, we will establish new rules for soil management to prevent dryness.

What we will do in the next four years:

1. Self-occupancy obligation and anti-speculation clause: Houses are not trading goods. GroenLinks insists that everybody who buys a house should live in it. A self-occupancy obligation prevents cheap properties from being bought en masse by investors. With the anti-speculation clause, we prevent houses from being sold for a profit after only a short time.
2. Property mix: GroenLinks wants that living is affordable in all neighbourhoods and towns in the municipality. All new developments should therefore have 40% social housing. Additionally, 40% of new developments have to be affordable for starters and single-person households, both for rentals and owner-occupied property.
3. Filling in over expanding: We strive to maintain greenery and biodiversity as much as possible. Housing challenges should not be resolved at the cost of pleasant neighbourhoods. GroenLinks therefore wants to see new property developments within the existing built-up area, before looking at expansion on the edge of town. These new dwellings are easily within reach of existing services and reduce the need for new asphalt and roads.
4. Stable rent, even after sustainable investments: In the midst of a climate crisis, we have to make sure our houses are sustainable. This can be achieved through better insulation, solar panels, and the use of renewable energy. Landlords often see investments in sustainability as a reason to increase rent. For GroenLinks, it is unthinkable that sustainable housing is only for the affluent. GroenLinks therefore wants to impose rent freezes when houses are made more sustainable.
5. Living within 50 metres of greenery: Everybody should benefit from the new greenery zones in neighbourhoods. This has to be both visible and measurable. We therefore think that there should be municipal greenery within 50 metres from any house. This makes for both a more healthy and green living environment.
6. Climate-neutral construction: New developments should be built using materials produced in an energy-efficient manner, with responsible use of water and with a low impact on nature and the environment. Newly built houses are energy neutral, as they are built with good insulation, ventilation, triple glazing and efficient heating options. This way, we ensure a healthy living environment, both indoors and outdoors.

What we will do in the next 4 years:

1. Culture in the entire municipality, including the smaller population centres: It is important to GroenLinks that we have a good cultural offering and quality cultural education in the entire municipality. There are plenty of cultural activities all across the municipality, and these should be available to all inhabitants and supported by the municipality.
2. Better support music education: De Muzelinck is crucial for cultural education in our municipality, and should be financially better supported. GroenLinks thinks music, fine arts and drama should be easily accessible for people of all ages.
3. De Groene Engel should be maintained: De Groene Engel has the potential to draw new audiences and to be a platform for cultural experimentation for all ages. This platform should be maintained in Oss. If it were up to GroenLinks, de Groene Engel remains to be this platform, and the municipality will retain ownership of the building in the Kruisstraat.
4. A new, wooden theatre: De Lievekamp deserves a new building. We think this should be the most sustainable theatre in the Netherlands, to establish Oss both as a green and cultural city.
5. Monuments: The municipality of Oss has a long and rich history. We have a lot of monuments and archaeological findings. We should be more attentive to this in municipal policies.
6. Sports for everyone, even when less affluent: The municipality supports sports offerings in all neighbourhoods and population centres in the municipality. GroenLinks will pay for sports if inhabitants cannot afford it themselves to stimulate children and youth to exercise. Sports should be available to everyone in a healthy and safe environment.

What we will do in the next 4 years:

1. More municipal bicycle parking facilities: Both in the city centre as well as in other population centres, cyclists can park their bikes easily, safely, supervised and for free. There will be more bicycle parking facilities, both small and large.
2. Meuse River (Maas) ferries remain in service: It is important to GroenLinks that pedestrians and cyclists can easily cross the Meuse River. The municipality should therefore push the province to make funds available for these ferries. If the province does not, the municipality should ensure continued service.
3. A car-free city centre: Along with other cities in Brabant, the municipality will make a plan to work towards a car-free city centre in 2030.
4. No northern ring road: More asphalt is not the solution for increased traffic. The northern ring road would therefore not be a solution resolving the traffic issues at the Singel 1940-1945. The majority of traffic on this road is local traffic already. The natural border between city and nature, currently shaped by the Spitsbergerweg and Frankenbeemdweg, should be maintained and the ecological zone at the edge of the city should be protected. The overpriced northern ring road will therefore not be built if it is up to GroenLinks.
5. Choose for green and active mobility: New roads will only be built for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. GroenLinks will not support the development of new roads at the expense of nature and the quality of life if those new roads support unnecessary car usage.
6. More trains: We want to improve the accessibility of Oss by train. We advocate for rapid expansion of the railway bridge over the Meuse River at Ravenstein: it should be two-tracked in order to facilitate more trains between Arnhem and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

What we will do in the next 4 years:

1. Trust in citizens: The municipality must be an accessible government, trusting its residents. Applications for the WMO (Dutch social support act) must be processed quickly and the municipality’s decision should be based on trust rather than mistrust.
2. Buying up debts: Many instances make money from people who are in debt. This puts residents of our municipality in even deeper trouble. GroenLinks wants the municipality to buy up the debts of our residents, so citizens stay out of the suffocating grasp of creditors.
3. Social assistance: People on social assistance should not be labelled as fraudsters. A government should express support towards people on welfare. This is the only way to regain people’s trust in government. If it is up to GroenLinks, working in exchange for receiving social assistance is not compulsory.
4. Discrimination: Exclusion, racism and discrimination on the basis of skin colour, culture, gender or sexuality also occurs in Oss. GroenLinks wants the municipality to tackle discrimination by making our anti-discrimination agency (Radar) better known among our residents. Additionally, employees of the municipality should be trained to recognize discrimination and act against this.
5. Rainbow city Oss: The municipality should ensure a safe and inclusive setting for the LHBTIQ+-community. Being a Rainbow city entails more than hoisting a rainbow flag. GroenLinks wants the municipality to implement all measures of the Rainbow agreement.
6. Accessibility: It is important everyone can participate in Oss. GroenLinks therefore wants all municipal facilities, both indoors and outdoors, to be accessible. We will listen carefully to everyone in our municipality with a physical or psychological disability, to ensure their desires for an accessible municipality are met.
7. Hospitable to refugees: Oss is a hospitable municipality, and it should remain that way. Whenever necessary, we will lodge refugees and will ensure the social network will do its work to make Oss a pleasant home for refugees.

What we will do in the next 4 years:

1. Healthcare is not for profit, but to support those who need it: People using healthcare funds to enrich themselves have no place in our municipality. As far as GroenLinks is concerned, good healthcare is a precondition for a pleasant life. People in need of healthcare are not consumers but in need. The municipality should shape conditions and demands to ensure good care.
2. Deploying care budgets according to need and capacity: GroenLinks believes that care budgets should be spent on those who need care the most. The financial capacity of the care recipient can most certainly play a role in the provision and financing of care. Those who can carry the financial burden.
3. Sexual intimidation and sexual violence: GroenLinks wants more societal attention for sexual intimidation and sexual violence. The taboo surrounding these topics is large and comes with a large negative impact, including unemployment, dropping out of studies, relational problems and missing social contacts. The municipality must create the right conditions for everyone in Oss to feel safe to meet, relax and develop themselves.
4. Housing as a starting point: In Oss, nobody sleeps outdoors. That is our starting point. We do whatever we can to provide good shelter in case of homelessness. Housing is the first condition for a decent and dignified existence.
5. Child protection: Growing up in a safe home provides a better chance to balanced adulthood. This is why GroenLinks wants to focus on those children missing safety and security during their upbringing. On a national level there are major problems in youth care, also affecting the children, youth and families in Oss. A shortage of sufficiently qualified personnel is an important cause of this, and GroenLinks therefore wants to invest more in child protection and youth care.