Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp residents mostly complained about parking, illegal dumping, and garbage collection in 1,349 ombudsman reports on key municipal services in 2023.
Parking, unlawful dumping, and the collection of domestic waste accounted for the majority of complaints. Over 255,000 connections were made overall, which is significant for a city with nearly 560,000 residents.
After being submitted to the ombudswoman in Antwerp, some of the complaints were either taken up by the services directly or sent to higher authorities or other appropriate authorities by the ombudsman service.
776 complaints were filed by the ombudswoman herself.
The board of mayors and aldermen received 34 complaints in all, all of which were deemed legitimate. All of the ombudswoman’s suggestions to prevent the issue in the future were accepted by the board.
“These are the classics,”
says ombudswoman Karla Blomme.
“The reports are about parking, experiences with the city counters for applying for identity cards, for example. Parking will always be a problem. There are few parking spaces or in other places only residents are allowed to park these days.”
Reports of illegal dumping or household waste collection are also common.
“It’s not just about certain neighbourhoods in the city centre. It also happens in the districts. That’s a shame because the city makes great efforts to raise awareness and keep things clean. It often has to do with the mentality of the people.”
“Anyone who does something wrong should first look at themselves to determine whether they have been treated unfairly. On the other hand, we also know that not everyone is malicious. You can make a mistake, forget to fill something in or send a form to the wrong address.
In that case, we can give people the benefit of the doubt once. You also have to be careful of course and, for example, not enter the same wrong number plate 5 times in a row.”
The Belgium ombudsman network, Ombudsman.be, recently put out a resolution to formally acknowledge the right to make mistakes.
According to the ombudsmen, legalizing the ability to make mistakes is a crucial step toward a more equitable and compassionate governance.
According to them, the Belgian government would convey a clear message that a society is built on cooperation and trust by formally acknowledging this.
“It is not the intention that people immediately approach us, but first try to solve a problem themselves. If that does not work, we will put it on the right table. Fortunately, most people accept the solution that we propose. On the other hand, you need those ‘die-hards’ so that we can see if something can still be improved.”
After 19 years, Karla Blomme will step down as ombudswoman on August 1.
“Much more is done digitally these days and as a result, human contact has been greatly reduced. However, the demand for a personal conversation remains important to many people. The nature of the complaints has remained virtually the same.”
“Surveys show that 60 to 70 percent of the people know us. The group we are most concerned about are the residents who do not speak our language. They find it more difficult to find their way to us. We do go to certain services such as Community Development to get to know the people there and introduce ourselves.”
Blomme reflects on her years as ombudswoman with satisfaction.
“I notice that the city continues to value the ombudsman service. So I leave with a feeling of confidence. I have done the work with great pleasure.”
Her successor will typically be chosen by the city council on Monday.
How are parking issues affecting daily life for Antwerp residents?
Due to temporary no-parking zones, street layout changes, and the conversion of spots for terraces or construction, the city has eliminated a significant percentage of street parking spaces—by some estimates, 10–20% in some locations.
Residents now have a considerably tougher time finding legal parking close to their houses, particularly after irregular work hours or in the evenings.
Residents frequently express their irritation when they get home and discover that there is no parking accessible. As a result, they occasionally park in previously designated legal spots or partially on sidewalks, which frequently leads to GAS fines.
Many believe that the city issues more parking permits than there are places available, which exacerbates the issue and creates the impression that enforcement is unjust.
