Bridging the Gap Between Municipalities and Citizens With B1 Language

Closing the gap between municipalities and citizens through clear communication

In Dutch municipalities, citizens have the right to be heard, supported, and have access to public services. But in practice, many people don’t make use of these rights. Not because they don’t want to, but because they give up. Because of a letter they can’t understand. An application that gets stuck in jargon. An error message that offers no explanation.
Miscommunication between municipalities and citizens is not a minor inconvenience. It is a serious social issue with major consequences: loss of trust, reduced participation, and frustration with policies that citizens don’t understand or perceive as unfair.

How Miscommunication Escalates in Practice

• A neighborhood initiative that stalls
  A group of residents wants to start a community garden. They submit an application through a municipal portal. What follows are vague emails and incomprehensible rejection reasons (“does not align with current policy regarding green space management”). The residents give up. What began as a positive initiative ends in disappointment and distrust.
• A benefit that the applicant doesn’t understand
  A single parent is entitled to a financial benefit. But the explanation on the website is unclear: “The compensation is only available to households with an income up to 120% of the social minimum, provided no other subsidies are claimed.” The parent gets confused by the numbers and complex language and, feeling overwhelmed, closes the page. They do not apply, meaning the scheme misses both its purpose and its intended audience.
• An error message that leads to panic
  A citizen applies for social assistance online. After several steps, an error message appears: “System error: code XJ42.” No explanation, no alternative. The citizen calls the municipality, waits on hold for 40 minutes, and finally hangs up. Two weeks later, they fall behind on energy payments. The result is frustration, stress, and debt.

Consequences: From Disengagement to Active Distrust

When citizens don’t understand policies or feel excluded, the damage goes far beyond simple miscommunication:

1. Demotivation and disengagement.
   People stop seeking help or participating when they keep running into confusing communication.
2. Distrust and suspicion.
   Unclear letters or last-minute announcements create the feeling that “something isn’t right,” even when everything is above board.
3. Failed policy implementation.
   A policy that doesn’t reach its target audience has already failed – often simply because the message never got through.
4. Loss of participation and support.
   If citizens don’t feel heard or understood, they withdraw from consultation moments and community projects.

The Gap as a Social Issue

Bridging the communication gap isn’t just about “explaining things a bit better.” The issue goes to the heart of how we create, execute, and justify policy. An uneven playing field emerges when policies are only understandable to lawyers or civil servants.

Citizens without prior knowledge or digital skills – and those with disabilities – fall structurally behind. This undermines fundamental rights, such as the right to be heard and to equal access to services. It also impacts policy acceptance: a policy that isn’t understood won’t be supported.

From Incidental to Systematic Solutions

If you want to solve this issue structurally, it’s not enough to just make a text “friendlier.” It requires an approach on four levels:

1. Policy
   Make clarity and accessibility an explicit part of policy development – not at the end, but from the very start.
2. Process
   Make clear communication the standard in all workflows – from the initial idea to the final letter or webpage.
3. Training
   Invest in language training for policymakers, communication professionals, and other staff. Not as an “extra,” but as a core part of quality.
4. Software
   Use technology like Textmetrics’ AI-powered software to automatically check texts for B1 level, inclusive word choices, and digital accessibility. This makes clear communication measurable and manageable.

Clear Language as a Public Duty

As a municipal employee, you want nothing more than to have good contact with your citizens. Clear communication helps you make that happen. But it only works if clarity is guaranteed at all times – in policy, processes, training, and the tools you use.

Curious how your municipality is doing?

Let Textmetrics run a scan of your digital accessibility and content clarity. We’ll help you get started with AI-driven support and practical training.

You can schedule an introduction here!