Published: 31.10.2022.
In the City Council
Ukrainas karogs pie Rātsnama

SOCIAL SERVICES – WITH THE HISTORICALLY HIGHEST BUDGET INCREASE

Social services have seen the biggest budget increase in history, mainly in the form of pay rises for social workers and new services for the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

  • Sociālās jomas budžets pieaudzis par 40% - līdz 107 miljoniem eiro.
  • Jauni sociālie pakalpojumi neaizsargātākajām sabiedrības grupām – maznodrošinātām ģimenēm, bērniem ar funkcionāliem traucējumiem, senioriem.
  • Sociālo darbinieku vidējais atalgojums pieaudzis līdz 1200 eiro.
  • Divi jauni sociālās aprūpes centri: “Žubītes” un “Duntes ozoli”.
  • Izveidoti Rīgas vakcinācijas centri un Covid-19 nodaļas.

HELPING UKRAINIANS: RIGA TAKES THE LEAD

Riga has set up Latvia’s main support centre for Ukrainian civilians. It is designed as the single and the first point of support for most Ukrainian war refugees arriving in Latvia. A total of more than 17,000 Ukrainians that have fled the war live in Riga. Riga has introduced a number of activities in support of Ukraine, with donations of ‘Rīgas satiksme’ buses and financial donations, and events in support of Ukraine.

  • Riga has set up Latvia’s main support centre for Ukrainian civilians: the Riga support centre for Ukrainian people. All services at the same place:
    • Residence documents, visas
    • Housing and social assistance
    • Employment, education, healthcare
    • NGO support
    • Psychological assistance.
  • Riga provides help to 17,000 Ukrainians declared in the city.
    • ~ 7 million euro disbursed in benefits.
    • Free travel on public transport for Ukrainian refugees.
    • More than 30,000 food parcels.
    • 2500 children from Ukraine attend education institutions in Riga.
  • Riga, the capital of Latvia, shows clear support for Ukraine.
    • The Freedom Monument and other sites are illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
    • Large-scale activities in support of Ukraine.
    • Ukrainian flags near the municipal institutions;
    • 11 ‘Rīgas satiksme’ buses (bringing 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid donated by Riga’s citizens over three days) were donated to Ukraine.
    • Riga City Council supports Ukraine financially.

TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE: SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE

Major transport infrastructure projects have been launched Under the new leadership, such as the eastern motorway and the Brasa bridge. Traffic calming measures have also been launched, introducing 30 km/h speed limit zones in the Klusais Centrs, Grīziņkalns, and Čiekurkalns neighbourhoods. Various repairs have been carried out in 197 sections of streets, and 32 km of cycling lanes and paths have been set up. A Cycling Infrastructure Division has been set up to develop a long-term vision for the field. The challenge for the future is to repair Riga's bridges, for which a government loan of €139 million has been obtained.

  • 40 km of transport infrastructure built or fully rehabilitated.
  • Miscellaneous repairs and rehabilitation works - 197 sections of streets and pavements.
  • Streets and pavements: 396,000 m² repaired.
  • 157 million euro invested in street infrastructure and repairs.
  • New cycling infrastructure (cycle paths and cycle lanes): 32 kilometres.
  • Major implemented transport infrastructure projects:  
    • Eastern motorway (to be completed in 2023)
    • Sarkandaugava flyover
    • Centrs–Ziepniekkalns cycling path
    • Imanta–Daugavgrīva cycling path (to be completed in 2023)
    • A. Deglava flyover
    • Salu bridge reconstruction (Round 2).
  • Calmer traffic. 30 km/h zones: 
    • in the Quiet Centre
    • at Grīziņkalns
    • at Čiekurkalns
    • In the future also at Berģi, Brasa and elsewhere!

FUNDING FOR BRIDGES IN RIGA

  • A 139-million-euro government loan to rebuild and rehabilitate by 2026:  
    • Vanšu Bridge
    • Gaisa Bridge
    • Gustavs Zemgals flyover
    • Jorģis Zemitāns Bridge
    • Mūkusala Waterfront. The Brasa Bridge is under rebuilding.

IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: NEW SOLUTIONS AND A FRESH BREATH IN THE CITY

A number of projects have helped make Riga a greener, more pleasant, and more liveable city. Several parks in the city have seen renovations and improvements. A few places have also been made more liveable through the installation of various improvements, parklets, benches, and so-called ‘green oases’.

7 PARKS IMPROVED

  • The walkways in one section of the Esplanāde park that long needed repairs have been restored.
  • A number of other parks have been improved and renovated: 
    • Aldara Park; the work is still ongoing
    • Ozolaine park
    • Zasulauka Manufaktūra park now also has a basketball and exercise area, planked walkways, and a terrace
    • Latgale garden: playground and exercise area
    • Arkādijas park: resurfacing of several walkways and reinforcement of the banks of the Mārupīte river
    • Nordeķu park: playground, with a walkway currently being constructed
  • The Soviet monument in Victory Park dismantled. The park will be improved, introducing active recreation facilities.

 

  • 1,000 trees and 3,200 shrubs planted in Riga's parks and the urban environment.
  • 300 new bike parking spaces.
  • 214 new benches and 150 flower boxes have been installed.
  • Green oases and park-lets introduced at 4 streets and 1 square.
  • 4 fountains at the Congress Hall, Vērmane Garden and Esplanade renovated.
  • 6 new free drinking water taps installed.
  • 8 new and renovated playgrounds and exercise areas.
  • 7 more playgrounds renovated by November 2022.
  • 20 recreation and picnic areas in Riga’s forests.
  • The Latvian national symbol—the Freedom Monument—is continuously illuminated.

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECTS: RIGA’S CITIZENS CAN DECIDE ON THEIR MUNICIPAL BUDGET WITHOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF POLITICIANS

One of the ways the public can get involved is through participatory budgeting. Riga implements the projects that receive the most support from the people of Riga. The municipal government also runs campaigns to promote this activity, which has led to more and more citizens voting in favour of participatory budgeting projects.

  • 9 participatory budget projects with the highest level of support from residents have been implemented.
    • Multi-purpose sports field in Brasa
    • Āgenskalns market square
    • Sports complex at Ķengarags
    • Recreation area with four places of recreation at Daugavmala (Dārziņi)
    • Improvement of public bus stops at Rītabuļļi
    • Jaunciems cultural bathhouse
    • Zasulauks Manufacture Park
    • Moscow Garden playground and gym
    • Environmental object B.O.L.D.E.R.Ā.J.A.
  • 42,000 residents voted for new participatory budgeting projects.

CULTURE: CELEBRATIONS COME TO THE PEOPLE

High-quality, modern cultural life is an integral component of a modern urban environment. Celebrations have been more frequent in the city centre and in the neighbourhoods, with a greater emphasis on decorating neighbourhoods during winter holidays. Partnerships with Latvian artists have been built for the development of the city’s visual appearance. For the first time, Riga hosted Positivus, Latvia’s biggest music festival, which also attracted an international audience.

  • New approach to running cultural events.
  • In 2022, the Riga Summer of Courage and Joy involved 150 events, attended by about 100,000 people;
  • Lighting objects were set up and parks were illuminated to create a festive winter holiday mood, also in the neighbourhoods.
  • Authentic Midsummer celebrations in the city: on Dzegužkalns hill, and at Zaļais Theatre in Mežaparks;
  • Positivus festival in Riga.

HOUSING

Riga has launched a programme of renovation of municipal rental and social housing, helping reduce queues to receive housing. Active building insulation advice and incentive programmes have been put in place. The Riga Energy Agency has been relaunched, and is working to develop a strategy to meet the city’s climate targets.

  • 182 municipal flats have been refurbished (72 more will be refurbished this year).
  • The queue for social housing has decreased by 25%.
  • The queue for municipal rented apartments has decreased by 31%.
  • More than 5,000 new sorting containers have been installed.
  • 28% of the waste collected is sorted.
  • Over the year, residents have saved 10 million euro by sorting.
  • Advice on renovation and heat insulation of buildings is made available to everyone.
  • Courtyard Improvement Programme

EDUCATION: PRIORITIES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN EVEN IN EMERGENCIES

Riga is investing heavily in renovating education institutions, with plans to continue building new pre-school facilities, and two new ones have been built so far. The city council is also reducing queues for receiving this service by increasing the co-financing of private pre-school facilities and babysitter services. The Ministry of Education and Science has been made to commit to eliminating the inequality in teacher salaries, which causes Riga receiving less national co-financing than other Latvian municipalities.

  • 75.5 million euros have been invested in the renovation of education institution facilities.
  • Ventilation and energy efficiency were improved in schools, and Riga’s pre-school facilities underwent a programme of improvement measures;
  • New pre-school facilities have been opened: Dzīpariņš at Rūpniecības Street, and Ozoliņš at Slāvu Street.
  • The monthly funding for private pre-school facilities has increased 250 euros, to 307 euros.
  • The monthly funding for babysitter services has increased 36 euros per month, to 181 euros.
  • The funding for the salaries of nannies in pre-school facilities has been increased by 70 euros over their rate.
  • The funding of teachers has risen 121 euros over their rate.
  • For the first time, health insurance has also been introduced for certain groups of technical staff in educational institutions.
  • A vaccination promotion programme has been introduced in schools, to enable in-classroom education in Riga.
  • The transition to outsourcing catering services in Riga’s municipal education institutions continued;
  • The waiting list for pre-school education institutions in Riga Municipality has been reduced from 2097 children to 829.

COMPANIES AND GOVERNANCE: PROFESSIONAL AND FAIR PRINCIPLES

Common principles were created under the guidance of Riga’s municipal companies, setting strategic objectives, and making sure that their management boards are only appointed through fair and open competitions. Riga has successfully protected its interests, rectifying past failures that have cost the city’s people millions of euros.

  • Professional company boards and supervisory councils are appointed through open competitions: 14 competitions have been organised.
  • Having terminated unfavourable contracts and conducted better tenders, the municipal public transit company ‘Rīgas satiksme’ has reduced its expenses by 20 million euros.
  • Building management fees have been reduced for 70% of the clients of ‘Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks’.
  • RNP repairs: twice more than before.
  • The unprofitable water bottling company Aqua Riga has been shut down.
  • 15 capital companies have clear strategic and financial objectives.
  • Riga companies have started disbursing dividends for the first time: so far, 6 million euro have been disbursed.
  • A code ticket has been introduced in ‘Rīgas satiksme’ vehicles.
  • 3 million euro have already been recovered in relation to the construction cartel contracts concluded under the previous local government.
  • Procurements in the municipality - from now on, centralised and under a single system.

OTHER INNOVATIONS

The municipal government has undergone a number of reforms that have made it more efficient, reducing bureaucracy and improving the quality and availability of services in the city.

  • Creation of a neighbourhood resident centre through the reorganisation of executive directorates.
  • For the first time, Riga makes a systematic effort to attract investors; the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency has been established.
  • It has been decided to switch to centralised, municipally provided winter cleaning of pavements across the city within 3 years.
  • A so-called ‘green corridor’ has been opened for construction, enabling easier approvals for large investment projects.
  • The companies ‘Rīgas nami’, ‘Rīgas serviss’, ‘Rīgas pilsētbūvnieks’, and Rīgas Centrāltirgus have been merged. The company created as a result of the merger, called ‘Rīgas nami’, is to start operating on 1 November 2022.
Author:
Riga City Council Communication Department