The new City Council 2006
Dutch Labour Party PvdA and the green, left wing Groen Links party have negotiated a new City Council for the city of Amsterdam for the period 2006-2010. The motto ‘People make Amsterdam’ marks the first Red-Green body in the history of city politics. The newly formed Council of Mayor and Aldermen will focus on tackling poverty, opportunities for children, safety enforcements, air quality, green areas and economy.
People make Amsterdam
Over the past weeks, party leaders Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA) and Maarten van Poelgeest (GroenLinks) have negotiated intensively to form the new council. The main starting point of these negotiations was Amsterdam being an ‘emancipation machine’; a place where people can develop their talents and move forward; a city where freedom, dynamics and creativity go hand in hand with solidarity, safety and social security. The new body wants to offer the people of the city the chance to shed burdens of poverty and is against any form of deprivation. In New Amsterdam you should be able to be who you are, and develop your talents. Because people make Amsterdam.
Poverty
Poverty regulations will become more accessible and now also cover people living off 110 % of minimum wages. Before, this was restricted to 105 %. People on lower incomes can benefit from school cost cuts, additional contributions for the elderly and for Amsterdammers living on minimum wages for the long term.
More opportunities for children
47 million euros have been reserved to offer children the opportunities they deserve. The extra money will be used for educational support, preventive activities, parent-child centres, a large increase in pre-school education and youth care.
Security
Security is a basic human right. Amsterdam must become a safer place through prevention. Therefore, the new body has 42 million euros to tackle hard core youth crime, drug addicted multi-offenders, prostitution abuse, domestic violence and other already initiated projects. Preventive body searches to apply facial recognition are free.
Air quality and green areas
The people of Amsterdam have the right to a clean environment. Air pollution causes health problems; small children, the elderly and people with airway problems suffer because of it. The Action Plan Air Quality enjoys financial support of around 27 million euros, which shall also be used for green projects.
Economy
As a science and business city, Amsterdam must return to the top 5 settlement cities of Europe. 51 million euros cover costs for the ‘AmsterdamTopCity’ project. Measures to improve business in the city by initiating educational projects and working on infrastructure will be financed. Within one hundred days the Governing Body plans to present a plan in close conjunction with local businesses. 
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