Municipal Development Council

Shaping the future together locally

Municipalities in rural areas are facing a variety of challenges. The lasting effects of the pandemic, the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis, inadequate health care services and public transportation – these are just a few of the many global challenges that affect rural municipalities directly. Within the model project "Shaping the Future Together Locally", we are cooperating with five rural municipalities from all over Germany to establish municipal development councils. Over the course of two years, these councils are meant to develop strategies for dealing with the complex issues of our times. Utilizing a multi-stakeholder approach bringing together representatives from civil society, business, politics and administration, they enable collaborative strategy making and develop an action plan for local development. Local coordination from the partner municipality and local moderation teams are trained and continuously supported within this project to ensure sustainability of the approach. Together with the municipalities, we aim to test and further develop municipal development councils as an innovative democratic instrument that addresses societal challenges locally.

Our partner municipalities

Kalletal

Arneburg-Goldbeck

Rottenburg on the Neckar

Hoyerswerda

Niesky

Kalletal

is a municipality in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia and has around 13,000 inhabitants. Kalletal has been a Fairtrade municipality since 2020 and has already successfully implemented several participation processes. Mario Hecker has been mayor of the municipality since 2020. Further information: www.kalletal.de / Photo: Robin Peste

What is the theme?

The mission of the Community Development Advisory Board in Kalletal 2023 is to develop a recommendation on how health care in Kalletal can be improved and also secured in the future. The title of the process is: "Strengthening healthcare in Kalletal together - from the cradle to the end of life". More insights on site: www.kebkalletal.blog

Arneburg-Goldbeck

is an association municipality in the Altmarkt in the north of Saxony-Anhalt. The association municipality includes eight independent municipalities, which are united for their administrative activities. In Arneburg-Goldbeck live 9,000 people on 304 km2. Arneburg-Goldbeck is characterized by a lively club life and a committed civil society.

What is the theme?

Der Kommunale Entwicklungsbeirat sollte sich mit der Frage von Mobilität im ländlichen Raum auseinandersetzen. Wie lässt sich eine sichere, bezahlbare, zuverlässige und nachhaltige Mobilität dauerhaft gewährleisten, gerade bei einer so großen Fläche wie in der Verbandsgemeinde? Nach einer engagierten Planungsphase hat sich die Mehrheit des Verbandsgemeinderates von Arneburg-Goldbeck im Dezember 2022 trotzdem gegen die Durchführung des Kommunalen Entwicklungsbeirates entschieden. Damit kann der Entwicklungsbeirat zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt nicht umgesetzt werden.

Rottenburg on the Neckar

is a large county town in the district of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg. Rottenburg has a very committed urban society and numerous experiences with participation, such as citizen dialogues and citizens' petitions. Among other things, the city is characterized by a special Fasnet culture, which marks the beginning of the Rottenburg year.

What is the theme?

The Municipal Development Advisory Council will focus on the effects of current crises on peaceful coexistence and the sustainable development of the city. In doing so, the increasing polarization in the urban society will also be addressed, which has become apparent in previous participation processes, among other things. The Municipal Development Advisory Council builds on Rottenburg's 'City Concept 2030' and reviews where the achievement of goals could be inhibited by current crises and what is needed to counteract this.

Hoyerswerda

is located in the Lausitz region of Saxony and has 31,000 inhabitants. Starting in the 1960s, Hoyerswerda was massively expanded to provide living space for thousands of employees of the lignite combine "Schwarze Pumpe". At its peak, 70,000 people lived in the city. Today, Hoyerswerda is characterized by a very active civil society and numerous socio-cultural meeting places. Image: City of Hoyerswerda

What is the theme?

In Hoyerswerda, the Municipal Development Advisory Council is concerned with the sensible use of green and demolition areas in the city. A "green fringe" is to be created here that connects the old and new towns and is used as a sustainable experience space. The Municipal Development Advisory Board works to link the ideas of politics/administration, civil society and business for inclusive design and to bring them into practical implementation.

Niesky

is a large district town in Upper Lusatia in Saxony. Almost 10,000 inhabitants live here. The city builds on a long tradition in wagon construction and industrial timber construction. Niesky has just become a model community for citizen participation in Saxony. In addition to our model project, Niesky also participates in the participation format jugend.entscheidet! participation format. Photo: Doris Heinrich

What is the theme?

Under the title "WegWeiserWirtschaft" (WayWiseEconomy), the Municipal Development Advisory Council is looking at the economic development of the large district town. Where does Niesky see itself in ten years? As a 'dormitory town', an industrial location or something completely different? What criteria should be applied to future decisions on economic issues? On the basis of these considerations, the advisory council will examine the conditions under which a rail test line project could be located. Read more: www.kebniesky.blog

Voices from the municipalities

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