Eindhoven has more and more civil servants. In five years, the number of employees at the municipality rose by about 30 percent to over 2,700. A major reason for the increase is the city’s growth.
This is according to answers from the municipality to questions from Studio040.
In 2020, the municipality had almost 2,100 civil servants. So now there are over 2700. Every year, between 150 and 250 employees are added. The proportion of permanent staff increased slightly over those five years, by over one percent of the total workforce. Now, almost 87% of civil servants are permanent employees, the rest are hired externally.
Explanation
According to the municipality, the explanation for the increase is clear. As the city grows because of the booming technology sector in the region, the civil service organisation grows along with it. For instance, several major urban developments require specific knowledge and skills. These include, for instance, the plans for housing and the expansion around Eindhoven railway station.
But improving roads and implementing all kinds of climate plans, among other things, also requires extra hands and commitment. Furthermore, the municipality mentions social assistance to residents. Due to the city’s growth, this requires more time and attention
Cost
The municipality says that the extra tasks and staff can be paid for with investments in the Brainport region. At the end of 2022, the municipality announced that the central government, the province, and the regional business community would release money for roads and the area development around the train station, among other things.
And a year and a half later, the so-called Beethoven deal came out, involving billions to be invested, to strengthen the liveability of the fast-growing region with better infrastructure, education and accelerating housing construction. The smaller municipalities within the Eindhoven Metropolitan Region are also paying for this. Furthermore, the municipality also deploys its own budget, to pay new employees and maintain service levels.
Campaign
Eindhoven municipality also expects a further increase in its own staff in the coming years. To bring in enough skilled people, the municipality has launched a major recruitment campaign.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta.
