Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent city council must reshape its communication strategy, according to Ombudswoman Evelien Bekaert, by sharing unfavourable news to help people have more reasonable expectations about municipal operations. The Ombudswoman highlighted that presented exclusively positive outcomes lead to disappointment when citizens discover unrealistic goals were not achieved.
Ombudswoman Evelien Bekaert recently emphasised that the Ghent city council must improve its communication methods during public remarks. According to her view, the emphasis on positive communication by the city serves noble purposes but creates unrealistic expectations among residents.
“The city can easily communicate more often about what is not working,”
she emphasised, advocating for a more comprehensive approach that includes both successes and setbacks.
The report preparation focuses on building more public confidence and clarity regarding municipal choices and their administration impacts.
“The administrative agreement is ambitious. I see many good things. The emphasis in the city’s communication is also on the positive effects of a decision. That is understandable, but it creates very high expectations among citizens. The government cannot always meet those,”
Says the ombudswoman.
Bekaert insists on better expectation management by the city.
“Ghent must guard that balance. The city can easily communicate more often about what is not working, or what decisions have been taken and their consequences, even if they are not only good.”
The new ombudswoman was appointed almost a year ago. She is working on the 2024 annual report. Many themes have been reviewed.
“For me, the ‘right to make mistakes’ is a very important point. It is in the Ghent administrative agreement, and Flanders has also started working on it.“
“A government must ensure that a citizen is not punished excessively for an unintentional mistake. Such a mistake must be able to be corrected. We want to embed that in the service provision.”
Bekaert has been working with ombudsman services from other local governments and authorities in recent months. There is now structural consultation with some 30 people.
“It is very inspiring to exchange experiences and give each other advice,”
Bekaert concludes.
What are Ghent’s recent communication challenges?
Ghent shows its dedication to clear communication through its dedicated 2020-2025 Climate Plan, targeting both a 40% CO2 emission decline by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. Extensive public engagement forms an important part of this plan because local citizens have an essential role to play in reaching these objectives. During the past decade, the municipality of Ghent has intentionally welcomed stakeholders into discussions about climate change solutions while adopting a participatory governmental framework.
Ghent pursues multiple urban development initiatives to create sustainable and desirable living conditions as part of its environmental program. The city’s Blue-Green Infrastructure plan establishes green connection paths between urban sites to improve natural species diversity and reduce overheating conditions. The city shows commitment to welcoming citizens to active decision-making processes that shape their lives through its diverse information and consultation programs.
