THE HAGUE, 10/02/09 - Kolenkit in Amsterdam is according to the government the number one 'problem district' in the Netherlands. The largest number of districts where people would rather not go are in Rotterdam.
In 2007, the housing ministry selected 40 districts throughout the Netherlands to be transformed in the next eight years from 'problem districts' to 'dream districts.' The government did give the names of the districts but refused to disclose the ranking order of the Top 40.
The Top 20 of this list has now been obtained by RTL Nieuws and been published by this TV programme. There are eight Rotterdam districts in the Top 20. Nonetheless, an Amsterdam district heads the secret ranking order: Kolenkit, in the west of the capital.
The problem districts in the Top 20 are characterised by a high density of government-owned housing, high unemployment, crime, nuisance by youngsters, and many immigrants. In Kolenkit, 80 percent of the residents are immigrants.
RTL Nieuws made a call on the Openness of Government Act (WOB) a year and a half ago to get the ranking order made public. The Council of State, the highest administrative court, however forbade this, ruling that making it public would be stigmatising.
Nonetheless, RTL Nieuws has decided to make the information public based on the principle that the public has the right to be informed on government policy. "Everyone can then judge for themselves what is happing with the spending of taxpayers' money and whether this is having an effect. No political goings-on in backrooms, just let people judge for themselves," was the chief editorial statement.
Kolenkit in Amsterdam is followed by the Rotterdam districts of Pendrecht, Oude Noorden and Bloemhof. Fifth comes Ondiep (Utrecht), followed by Rivierenwijk (Deventer), Spangen (Rotterdam), Oude Westen (Rotterdam), Heechterp/ Schieringen (Leeuwarden) and Noord-Oost (Maastricht).
In 2007, the housing ministry selected 40 districts throughout the Netherlands to be transformed in the next eight years from 'problem districts' to 'dream districts.' The government did give the names of the districts but refused to disclose the ranking order of the Top 40.
The Top 20 of this list has now been obtained by RTL Nieuws and been published by this TV programme. There are eight Rotterdam districts in the Top 20. Nonetheless, an Amsterdam district heads the secret ranking order: Kolenkit, in the west of the capital.
The problem districts in the Top 20 are characterised by a high density of government-owned housing, high unemployment, crime, nuisance by youngsters, and many immigrants. In Kolenkit, 80 percent of the residents are immigrants.
RTL Nieuws made a call on the Openness of Government Act (WOB) a year and a half ago to get the ranking order made public. The Council of State, the highest administrative court, however forbade this, ruling that making it public would be stigmatising.
Nonetheless, RTL Nieuws has decided to make the information public based on the principle that the public has the right to be informed on government policy. "Everyone can then judge for themselves what is happing with the spending of taxpayers' money and whether this is having an effect. No political goings-on in backrooms, just let people judge for themselves," was the chief editorial statement.
Kolenkit in Amsterdam is followed by the Rotterdam districts of Pendrecht, Oude Noorden and Bloemhof. Fifth comes Ondiep (Utrecht), followed by Rivierenwijk (Deventer), Spangen (Rotterdam), Oude Westen (Rotterdam), Heechterp/ Schieringen (Leeuwarden) and Noord-Oost (Maastricht).
Source: NIS
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