Promoting local supply with convenience goods and public and private services as well as local mobility
(Baden-Württemberg)
Especially smaller municipalities in rural areas have problems to ensure local basic supply with convenience goods and consumer-oriented services. But also urban neighbourhoods are affected by these problems. As a result of closing, shifting or merging locations, supply and service facilities are often not within walking distance anymore so that people increasinly have to go by car.
Concepts and strategies to maintain and reorganise local supply are required. The aim of “KOMM-IN Zentren” (KOMM-IN service centres) is to support and in the long term maintain the autonomy of the municipal living space and economic area - but also the quality of supply in various neighbourhoods.
Source: KOMM-IN GmbH
KOMM-IN as a pilot project was for the first time developed and implemented in the municipality of Sternenfels (2,900 inhabitants). In Sternenfels, public and private services and products are coordinated in terms of space, organisation and staff. Services and products offered by the public sector, by banks, hospitals, energy suppliers but also book shops and local manufacturers are offered under the same roof. Municipal, financial, health care and energy supply services are the four key areas of the “KOMM-IN Zentrum” (KOMM-IN service centre). They are normally part of each centre. Their offers are completed by a variety of optional partners such as shops to buy and hand in lottery coupons, post offices or groceries. This makes the centre more attractive and reduces traffic flows and dependence on cars as the inhabitants do not have to drive to several destinations. By now, nearly 20 partners offer services in the centre opened in 1999.
“KOMM-IN GmbH” acts as an umbrella organisation or system provider supporting the process of implementation initiated by municipalities or citizens’ organistaions by a variety of services. It formulates a locational concept on behalf of local authorities, cities or banks. The individual feasibility and affordability is checked and an individual model developed. If a decision is taken to open a KOMM-IN centre, “KOMM-IN GmbH” supports the centre operator in realising the centre (e.g. in terms of project management, concluding partner agreements, quality management). After having opened a centre it is also supported (e.g. in terms of staff training, auditing, exchange of experiences). Partners in a centre also participate in the financing. The combination with services provides the chance to also plan the local basic food supply in an affordable and profitable way.
The stakeholder structures and forms of cooperation vary according to each centre. Different partners and operator models can be involved - e.g. local publicly owned enterprises, public-private partnerships, cooperatives, private enterprises. The operator assumes the responsibility for a local centre, for its organisation and staff. So-called partnership agreements with the enterprises involved individually settle the duties of the KOMM-IN staff, how an enterprise is to be presented and its financial share in using the premises.
A certified quality management and an exchange of experiences help to respond to changed general conditions and customer demands. In this way, KOMM-IN represents a networked, learning system.
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| 1996 | considerations to close the post office in Sternenfels |
| 1997 | rough concept for the KOMM-IN service centre developed and population survey executed |
| 1998 | detailed planning and search for staff |
| 1999 | KOMM-IN GmbH (umbrella organisation) founded |
| 1999 | KOMM-IN service centre in Sternenfels opened |
| Since 1999 | more centres opened |
Source: KOMM-IN GmbH
The KOMM-IN centre in Sternenfels acts exemplarily in concentrating cooperations under one roof maintaining the quality of supply in neighbourhoods. The spatial, organisational and personal concentration of products and services shows how synergy effects can be used. Combining different services and products also guarantees the feasibility and profitability of consumer-oriented supply and its local accessibility. The centres may thus help to reduce traffic loads by promoting local mobility and to improve the quality of life and of the location.
Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung (BMVBS) and Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (BBR) (editors): Vernetzung im Verkehr. Gute Beispiele der Verbesserung von städtischen Quartieren. BBR-Sonderveröffentlichung, Bonn 2008. >>for more information on the publication please see (in German)
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 75447 - town: Sternenfels - street: Maulbronner Straße 26.
Record inserted on 12.01.2010 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 21.04.2011