The Dutch county Helmond followed a fierce discussion on the closing times for pubs, cafés, etc on a private blog: Hellemond (Dutch). The county included this discussion in a note, as can be read in the (Dutch) Burgerjaarverslag 2007(pdf) (Civilian year report 2007) which makes it an official approach. The report reads 'Spontaneously a discussion about the note started on a private blog in Helmond which we took into account here.'

Future Vision by Erwin Van Lun on this article

Counties are also experiencing a brand coming out. Now they’re following personal (but public) blogs, but soon they’ll create their own forums where they’ll ask civilians for their opinions. People will also be able to come up with alternative plans. The county will organize online polls. Solely for the registered inhabitant of course. And eventually the opinion of the civilians will start to carry far more weight than the opinion of the political party they voted for for a while. This is a cautious step in that direction.

Related trends

• Brand coming out

• in Dutch