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Information about the sub-municipality of Charlois in English |
About Charlois
The sub-municipality of Charlois has an area of over 1,000 hectares and almost 65,000 residents. The Charlois sub-municipality is made up of the Zuidwijk, Pendrecht, Wielewaal, Oud-Charlois, Carnisse, Tarwewijk, Zuidplein en Heijplaat neighbourhoods.
Charlois is one of the of the thirteen sub-municipalities of the city of Rotterdam
Charlois has been a sub-municipality since 1973. The first sub-municipal council took office on 1 January of that year. There were similar installations in two other sub-municipalities at that time. The sub-municipalities were set up with the aim of bringing local government and decision-making closer to the citizens.
The sub-municipal council
In the same way that a municipality is governed by a municipal council so in a sub-municipality there is a sub-municipal council. Both are directly elected. Normally these elections are held once every four years.
The number of members for both a municipal and sub-municipal council depends upon the number of inhabitants. The Charlois sub-municipal council has 25 members.
On taking office the new sub-municipal council appoints the members of an executive committee. This consists of two members and a chairman. The chairman of the executive committee is also the chairman of the council.
The executive committee is responsible for day-to-day matters, the preparation of plans and the execution of decisions. The council delegates authority to the executive committee to deal with a number of matters, such as the issue of permits.
What does the council do?
The sub-municipal council makes decisions which directly affect life and living in the sub-municipality. Matters that are important to the residents. Such as those concerned with housing and the surroundings: public gardens, neighbourhood maintenance, parking facilities, children's play areas, etc.
The sub-municipality also subsidises welfare facilities, such as club and neighbourhood centres, district halls, sports facilities, social facilities, youth work, social work, residents organisations and suchlike.
Decision making
Initially the sub-municipal council decides the policy lines to be followed in Charlois for a particular area. The executive committee - with the support of officials - develops this policy to a number of concrete proposals.
Consultation
Residents can make a contribution during council meetings. These are open to the public. During the customary half-hour question time they can raise matters which are not on the agenda. They can put forward their views during the meeting concerning a plan or proposal which is at that time under discussion.
Council meetings take place in the Zuidplein Theatre, Zuidplein 60-64 and are almost always held on Monday-evenings, starting at 19.30 PM.
Residents can also contribute their opinion during the information and consultation evenings that the Charlois sub-municipality regularly organises in connection with subjects that involve larger groups of residents.
Information and consultation meetings are, as far as is possible, held in the neighbourhoods.
All meetings and information and consultation evenings are announced on the regular sub-municipality page in the free newspaper the Havenloods delivered every Wednesday.
To make an appointment
Additionally it is always possible to make an appointment with one of the members of the executive committee. In this manner residents of the sub-municipality can meet the executive committee members with questions or complaints and of course, with ideas.
Also, the political parties that are represented in the sub-municipal council have weekly consulting hours in their own part of the secretariat in Boerhaavestraat 11.
On which days and times these consulting hours are held, you can find here (in Dutch). In most cases you can make an appointment by telephone or by e-mail.
Local government officials
The policy laid down by the sub-municipal council has also to be prepared and carried out. This is the task of the local government officials employed by the sub-municipality. About 90 local government officials work at the Secretariat in Boerhaavestraat.
Civil affairs
Applications can be made at the civil affairs department for, amongst others, certified extracts from the register of population, RotterdamPas, passports and driving licences. It is also possible to register births and deaths and make appointments for publication of notice of intention to marry and marriage ceremonies.
Opening hours
Civil affairs:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9:00 to 15:00
Tuesday: 11:00 to 15:00 and 18:00 to 20:00
(in the evening hours it isn’t possible to register births, deaths and marriages)
Other departments of the sub-municipality are open from Monday till Friday from 9:00 to 17:00.
Information
Would you like to know more about the sub-municipality of Charlois and its local government, or do you wish to contact the council or local government officials? If so, you can reach the Information department by telephone, the number is (010-) 410.7.411. You can also send an e-mail to info@charlois.rotterdam.nl
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