Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Ghent, citizen proposals from Schoolhoeve De Campagne, Plasactie, and Patrasche will be discussed at the city council. Residents oppose outsourcing, paid restrooms, and relocation, highlighting active public participation.
As VRT News reported, Ghent allows citizens to put topics on the council agenda if they collect at least 1,000 signatures from residents. Once the threshold is reached, citizens can speak for 15 minutes at a preparatory council meeting and again at the official council session. These meetings also allow longer discussions with council members and experts.
What proposals will the Ghent council discuss on school farm cuts, free toilets, and Patrasche relocation?
The non-profit organisation Patrasche has also collected enough support to bring its proposal to the council. The group faces relocation because of the new Wonderwoud nature reserve in Oostakker. Patrasche wants the city to reconsider the decision to continue its work for the community. The organisation will present its proposal at the October city council meeting, where experts and council members can discuss alternatives.
2 citizen proposals have collected enough signatures to be discussed at the November city council meeting in Ghent. Both proposals are related to the city’s planned budget cuts, so the council will address them together in the same session. The full city budget will be debated separately in December 2025. The November meeting will give residents and council members a chance to review the specific proposals and hear arguments before the broader budget discussion.
The first proposal comes from Schoolhoeve De Campagne in Drongen. The city wants to outsource the petting zoo to reduce costs, but the organisation has campaigned for months to keep it open. Its supporters are now bringing the issue directly to the city council to prevent the planned changes.
The 2nd proposal comes from Plasactie, a local group that advocates for public amenities. The group wants the city to keep public restrooms free. The city planned to charge for them to increase revenue, but Plasactie argues that the restrooms must remain accessible to everyone.
“We guarantee an educational program for all Ghent schoolchildren; it’s unbelievable that cuts are being made on this,”
says Tom Taelman.
Ghent has a long history of citizen participation in local government through formal proposals. Residents over 16 can bring topics to the city council if they gather at least 1,000 signatures. The system was first widely used in 2010, when citizens successfully fought to protect local green spaces.
In 2015, another proposal focused on keeping public playgrounds open, which led to changes in how the city managed these areas. More recently, in 2022, citizens brought initiatives to safeguard community centers and influence municipal spending.
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