Abstract
Public health policy, spatial and environmental policies are within the Dutch municipalities’ competencies. In 2021 a new act will be implemented, in which todays’ more sectoral acts and decrees will be integrated into the so-called (Healthy) Living environment act. This will require more integrated, inter-sectoral and multi-level governance approaches. And new topics and societal challenges, such as health, sustainability and resilience, are introduced within the physical planning domains.
Dutch reviews learn that public health and social domains are collaborating quite well at the local level. The cooperation and integration of health, environmental and spatial planning, on the other hand, often is less or even absent. In Utrecht, though, the latter inter-sectoral approach is strong; health in all policies has been the ‘mantra’ since several years. Supported and institutionalized through strong political leadership, and inter-disciplinary teams at neighbourhood and city level, for policy development and implementation in line with the city’s ambitions of Healthy Urban Living for Everybody.
Utrecht is the healthiest and fastest growing city in the Netherlands, and aims to use its growth (in population, jobs, houses, etc.) to address health inequalities. The city is linking spatial challenges with social challenges, building and improving houses and residential areas for all citizens. A new initiative, called social renovations, will be explored and reviewed within the JAHEE process. This initiative addresses many of the relevant topics, such as healthy living environment planning, stakeholder involvement and specifically reaching ‘hard to reach groups’, and improving housing and public space conditions and subsequently health and well-being of vulnerable groups.
How the City of Utrecht develops a Health and Equity in all Policies approach