Earlier this month, the municipality of The Hague presented the annual accounts for 2024. Important steps were taken to address today’s challenges and prepare for the city’s growth and 2024 will end with a positive result.
In the annual accounts, the municipality accounts for its expenditure and policy in 2024. It was a year of progress, but also of challenges. 2024 was characterised by tight labour markets, geopolitical unrest and persistent inflation. Developments with tangible consequences for the city’s residents, entrepreneurs and institutions.
Building a green and liveable city
The Hague is a great city to live, stay and work in and it should remain that way. In 2024, investments were made in a liveable, accessible and attractive city. Significant steps have been taken in making The Hague more sustainable and greener.
For example, the action plan Vergroening Versteende Wijken (Greening Petrified Neighbourhoods) added more than 12,000 square metres of greenery to the city. There has also been a lot of construction to add homes and space for businesses to the city. Visible steps have been taken on the Koningin Julianaplein in realising ‘KJ Den Haag’. This is where the new entrance to The Hague will be built, with a city hall, a new square and almost 400 homes.
In addition, investments have been made in the attractiveness of The Hague. More than 77,000 people cheered along the route of the Tour de France Femmes last August and with the Nachtvisie, The Hague’s nightlife has been put in the spotlight again.
Positive result
The municipality invested €3.6 billion in the city in 2024 and ended the year with a positive result of €49.9 million. This is 1.4% of the total budget. This positive result was partly due to the fact that not all plans could be implemented and due to settlements with the government that turned out positive. This amount will go back to the reserves and can thus be reinvested in the city.
Challenges and concerns
In addition to successes, the year 2024 also brought challenges and concerns. The shortages in youth care are a major point of attention, as is the continuing tightness on the labor market. The income from the government is of great importance to tackle these challenges.
In its spring memorandum, the government has made extra money available for municipalities. In the coming years, however, the municipality will be confronted with major tasks, for example in the field of housing construction, infrastructure and the social domain. The money from the government is a good step, but not yet sufficient to be able to tackle all these tasks.
View the council proposal and the entire annual accounts here (in Dutch): https://denhaag.raadsinformatie.nl/modules/13/Overige%20bestuurlijke%20stukken/1035674Haag
Text & image provided by Gemeente Den Haag. Translation by The Hague Online