Annual Report 2025

Apeldoorn Social Affairs Advisory Board

1. Introduction

The current Apeldoorn Social Domain Advisory Council (ASDA) was launched on 4 September 2020. Formally, the Advisory Council carries out its activities in accordance with the Social Domain Advisory Council Regulations. To put this into practice, the Advisory Council has drawn up a Set of Internal Rules which, amongst other things, sets out its working methods and structure, selection procedure, etc.

2. Vision and mission of the advisory board

2.1 Vision

Involving citizens in the development of social policy leads to active citizenship, which benefits the whole community.

2.2 Mission

The Advisory Council encourages the municipality of Apeldoorn to foster active citizenship in relation to social policy, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. In addition, the Advisory Council aims to provide the Mayor and Aldermen of the municipality of Apeldoorn with independent, high-quality advice on municipal social policy.

2.3 Core values

The remit and role are based on a number of core values. These are independence, representativeness, integrity, transparency, respect and a commitment to quality. These values apply both to the Advisory Board as an internal organisation and to the way in which the Advisory Board wishes to present itself to the outside world.

Tools that can be used include, amongst others,.

  • Taking the (vulnerable) citizen as the starting point when addressing these issues
  • Keeping a close eye on, and remaining engaged with, social developments
  • Early identification of trends based on contact with the grassroots
  • Maintaining good relations with the local authority
  • Early involvement in the formulation of local authority policy
  • Contacts with formal or voluntary organisations in the social sector

3. Apeldoorn Social Services Advisory Board

3.1 Composition

Under the Regulations, the Advisory Council comprises, in addition to an independent chairperson, a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 19 members, who are appointed as such by the Municipal Executive.

During 2025, six members stepped down and four new members were appointed. On 31 December 2025, the advisory board comprised 11 members and the chair. Fortunately, introductory interviews were held in the final month of the reporting year with several potential members, who attended the first introductory meeting in 2026.

In addition to the members and the chair, the administrative secretary is also a member of the Advisory Council. The administrative secretary is responsible for taking the minutes of the plenary meetings and the coordinators’ meetings, but also acts, for example, as the point of contact for the local authority’s administrative staff.

3.2 Structure of the Apeldoorn Social Services Advisory Board

The Advisory Council is organised into three working groups, each of which bears full responsibility for the areas of work they cover. These are the Youth and Family Working Group, the Participation and Livelihood Security Working Group, and the Housing and Living Environment Working Group. Each working group is chaired by a coordinator. The members of the working groups together form the Social Domain Advisory Council, which meets monthly. The coordinators, together with the chair and the administrative secretary, form the Coordinators’ Consultative Group, which prepares the agenda for the plenary meeting and coordinates the liaison between the various working groups. In addition to the working groups, project groups may also be formed for specific, time-limited topics; these consist of a few members of the relevant working group, supplemented by one or more members from another working group.

Broadly speaking, the areas of focus of the various working groups include:

Youth and Family Working Group

  • Youth support,
  • Appropriate education, school drop-out rates, school transport
  • 18-/18+
  • Domestic violence
  • CJG Access Quality
  • Complex divorces

Working Group on Participation and Livelihood Security

  • Volunteering
  • Day care
  • Day care
  • Supported/supervised employment
  • Barriers to participation (language, physical or psychological barriers, stigmatisation)
  • Inclusion / UN Convention
  • Poverty
  • Debt counselling
  • Income support/financial arrangements

Working Group on Housing and the Living Environment

  • Housing
  • Support/facilities
  • Transport
  • Social security
  • Neighbourhood development
  • Supported/assisted living
  • Quality of life

The Advisory Council is an (active) member of the association: Umbrella Organisation for Social Sector Advisory Councils.

4. Summary report on the work carried out

At various plenary meetings, one or more civil servants were present to provide the council with further details on developments relating to a particular issue, a proposed policy or its practical implementation. These presentations often gave rise to questions or discussion.

A small selection of the many topics which, in addition to the recommendations issued (see point 5), were discussed at the plenary meetings of the Advisory Council:

  • Developments relating to benefits under the Participation Act
  • Council Letter: Approach to the MPB’s cost-cutting mandate
  • Developments relating to the Social Services Helpline over the past year
  • Current developments in the field of housing and care
  • Samen055 Presentation
  • Presentation: “A Place for Girls”
  • Presentation of the new Youth Regulation
  • Debt Assistance Agreement
  • Action Plan to Combat Poverty
  • New Wmo 2026 Regulation

The Advisory Board also had the opportunity to get to know the director and heads of department of the BMO (Social Support Policy Department) better, during which the various plans and developments within that department and its specialist groups were discussed.

In 2025, the Advisory Council’s coordinators’ meeting did not hold any discussions with the councillors responsible for the Social Sector.

In addition to the Advisory Council’s plenary meetings, regular consultations have taken place within the various working and project groups, and (provisional) positions have been established. Members have held discussions with various (client) organisations and care providers, as well as with various civil servants.

Preparatory work leading up to the drafting of an advisory or information letter also took place, particularly within the working groups.

The Advisory Council was also represented with its own stand at the “Strong Together” event.

In the autumn, a ‘retreat’ was organised under the leadership of the director of the Umbrella Organisation for Social Domain Advisory Councils, with the aim of working with the new members to update the Advisory Council’s role and remit and to set priorities for the coming period. Given the wide range of topics, a second session was ultimately required to finalise decisions. The focus for the coming period will be on the following themes:

  • Poverty
  • Prevention
  • Social cohesion/inclusion
  • Housing
  • Youth

In addition, it has been decided that, in all new policy developments, the points set out below should be explicitly addressed and included in the recommendations:

  • Public participation: What is the impact (both intended and unintended) on residents, bearing in mind the question of the extent to which policy-makers have actually engaged with the relevant target group(s)?.
  • Continuity of the approach using vitality agendas
  • Shelf life/workability of Samen055

The PR and Communications working group, set up specifically for this purpose, focuses on putting the Advisory Council’s PR and communications strategy into practice. During the year under review, this proved once again to be a challenging area to put into practice and give concrete form to.

5. Advice issued/alert letters

The Advisory Council issued a requested opinion on the following topics:

  • Advice on Policy Rules for the Social Support Act (Wmo) and Youth 2025
  • Advice on the (draft) Guidelines for the 2026 Welfare Grant –
  • Advice on the shortfalls in youth care
  • Recommendations on Action Plan 2.0: Apeldoorn Against Poverty
  • Advice on the Policy Principles Memorandum on Community Meeting Places 2025–2031
  • Advice on the draft plan for the GR Youth Region + Midden IJssel/Oost Veluwe
  • Advice on the draft Apeldoorn Youth Support Regulation 2026

In addition, unsolicited advisory or alert letters were also issued concerning:

  • Information letter regarding the Action Plan on Homelessness 2025–2027
  • Response to the 2025 Spring Memorandum

6. Finally

This annual report provides information on the work carried out over the past period. Although the Advisory Council, by virtue of its independent position, is required to monitor the council’s actions with a critical eye, it is pleasing to note that the relationship with the portfolio holders and the various policy officials is constructive and cordial. Respect for the status of both bodies is the guiding principle in this regard.

In the new year too, with the new council yet to be formed, we look forward to working with the civil service with great confidence.