Current challenges of municipalities:

Achieving proximity to citizens

Municipalities increasingly see themselves as modern, customer-friendly service providers in administration and politics. Many of our conversation partners were looking for a simple solution to achieve more proximity to the citizens. Administrative tasks should be faster to implement for citizens, and political decisions should be more transparent and understandable. There should also be an increased focus on the needs of citizens. More citizen participation is a major goal, in order to involve citizens’ creativity and expertise more. Communities want a tool to directly address and interact with their citizens.

Making the place of residence more attractive

Municipalities are constantly trying to increase their attractiveness as a place to live. Young people in particular often move to the city in search of suitable employment and housing. Town centers must be revitalized and communities made more attractive. However, especially in the recent past, there has also been a contrary movement: The pandemic has made life outside (big) cities more attractive. Increasingly, young people are returning to the countryside after their studies. The fresh wind in the municipality must now be used. The new citizen structure also leads to changed demands towards municipalities. Community offerings must be made visible and accessible to everyone. In addition, both community representatives and citizens would like to see modern tools increasingly integrated. Digitization must continue to progress, especially at the municipal level.

Balancing climate protection and financial funds

Municipalities, in particular, are a big lever in implementing climate goals. At the municipal level, there are many sustainable initiatives for climate protection. Social and economic sustainability are also being driven forward primarily by municipalities. Energy efficiency and rural mobility, for example, are major challenges that communities must address. On the other hand, there is the financial situation. Tax revenues have not arrived at the planned levels. Thus, communities must increasingly prioritize which projects they support. However, sustainable initiatives should not be skimped on. Creative solutions are therefore called for. Because it is also possible to do both: protect the environment and earn money for the municipality. Environmentally friendly transportation or community space should be shared with all citizens. After all, citizens do not have to own everything they use sporadically. Thus, they have far more access to sustainable solutions while communities can better manage their vacancies. A win-win for the community, citizens and the environment.