Summary election program

The VVD stands for a good social climate for all residents and entrepreneurs in Amsterdam South.  Following is a description of the VVD’s most important Amsterdam South proposals per policy area:

 Economy

• The Zuidas will become a first class international business centre, whereby many small companies in the services sector will be created around the large companies.  All the lower floors will have a public function, ensuring the area is also lively and attractive to residents and visitors after 18.00 o’clock;
• The Beethovenstraat will become a 30 km zone, whereby the street design will immediately be given a facelift;
• The program whereby damage as a result of shop thefts are immediately recovered from the criminal, will be expanded;
• The Albert Cuypmarkt (market) and the area surrounding the Gelderlandplein (square) will be given a quality impulse, expansion of the Gelderlandplein must be possible;
• Shopping areas will always remain accessible by car.

 Work and income

• Agreements will be entered into with entrepreneurs regarding making work experience placements available and offering learn and work projects for young people;
• Entrepreneurship will be stimulated and facilitated and there will be one counter for all entrepreneurs’ questions and licences.

 Safety

• Junctions which suffer frequent traffic accidents must be tackled quickly;
• Private security, security cameras and preventative body searching are instruments which can be used if it benefits safety;
• An extra 15 supervisors will be appointed and increased surveillance will take place on school grounds and playing areas;
• Damage caused by children will be actively recovered from the parents;
• Squatting represents a fire hazard and is a nuisance to the neighbouring residents and will therefore be proactively dealt with.

 Parking and accessibility

• Underground community car parks are being built, whereby approximately 2.500 extra spaces for licence holders and visitors will be realised;
• Extra spaces will be realised for residents on a waiting list in car parks along the Ring A10 or on the Schinkel industrial estate;
• It will continue to be possible to have two parking permits per household in communities where the parking pressure allows for this;
• Tram line 25 will continue, line 4 will be extended to De Boelelaan and line 5 will be extended to the Gelderlandplein;
• Evening parking charges in the Rivierenbuurt (river area) South will be reversed;
• The Irenebuurt’s extraordinary character may not be lost as a result of the Zuidas.

 

Homes and Communities

• The percentage of purchased homes continues to rise, partly as a result of an extensive division policy and the selling of social housing properties;
• The supply for the middle classes is rising both in the rental as well as the owner-occupied segment;
• Elderly people from the district will be given priority with new housing for the elderly, ensuring older people can stay and become old in their own neighbourhood;
• At least 1.000 permanent student homes will be built;
• Joining houses together will become easier and cheaper.

 Public areas and green

• 1.500 extra trees will be planted and at least 5 extra small green parks will be added;
• More small playgrounds will be built;
• Stricter enforcement will be introduced regarding the incorrect offering of household waste, nuisance behaviour, street litter and graffiti;
• The second part of the Rijnstraat will be redesigned, in good consultation with the residents and entrepreneurs, whereby the local parking pressure will be tackled.

 The environment and sustainability

• A 0-rate will apply to building fees when making homes sustainable;
• The solar panel area will be expanded;
• The positioning of loading points for electronic transport will be stimulated;
• Animal wellbeing must be safeguarded.

Integration and diversity

• Subsidies for activities or organisations which hinder integration or which are at right angles with integration objectives will be terminated;
• Any houses of prayer which preach hatred will be stringently dealt with;
• Extra attention will be devoted to Amsterdam South’s Jewish history and the consequences of intolerance around 4th and 5th May.

 Education

• Free choice of school is always important;
• Schools in the South set themselves apart as a result of their diversity and educational provisions; bilingual education, custom made programmes for excellent students, art and technology profiles.  School swimming, school gardens and cultural education are all par for the course;
• There is a sufficient and suitable supply of before and after school care and the waiting lists for childcare must be reduced.

Care and wellbeing

• Nursing homes also offer accommodation for couples, whereby 1 person is in need of assistance and the other can function as a voluntary carer;
• We are investing in home service communities, ensuring elderly people can stay in their own homes for as long as possible.

Liveliness and nightlife

• The catering policy will only be extended if this can go hand in hand with enforcement against nuisances.  Heated terraces and being able to enjoy a drink whilst standing on the terrace will become possible again;
• The event budget will be increased and extra events will be brought to the South, like Amsterdam Culinair.

Sports and recreation

• Running routes and stretching equipment will be placed in, for example, the Vondelpark;
• Extra-curricular and after school care at sports clubs will be actively stimulated;
• A target group pool will be introduced;
• AFC will have a fully fledged new location;
• The district will organise good mooring facilities for residents’ boats and the reduction in the number of mooring places will be reversed.

Art and culture

• The art project from the Hilton to Station South will become permanent and will be continued in the Gijsbrecht van Aemstelpark and the Amstelpark;
• The Bachzaal will once again have a cultural function with the emphasis on classical music and/or jazz;
• Empty buildings will be given a temporary cultural function wherever possible.

Finance, taxes and organisation

• The budget is balanced and conservative, whereby expected bonuses will be carefully estimated and not spent before they have been realised, whilst also taking any possible setbacks into account;
• Subsidies will only be granted based on concrete plans and intended results and one-off subsidies will not automatically be turned into structural subsidies;
• The parking revenue will mainly be used for solving the parking problem;
• The district’s services will be improved by good evening opening hours, a complaints counter for complaints regarding the district’s rules.  Any agreements entered into between the district and the residents and entrepreneurs will be fulfilled.