'Adopt a Street' in Offenbach: Turning complainers into co-producers

Lessons learnt

The most important benefit for the utility company was the co-production of better outcomes with local citizens but also partnership working with public and private agencies. As the past showed, the utility company cannot make a big impact by acting alone. Of course, co-production with local communities is not always easy and often there are conflicts between citizens with their own ideas and the utility company which has to ensure that citizens act within existing regulations. For example, sometimes citizens want to go for planting of green areas which is not in line with legal requirements or too difficult for maintenance.

However, the overall assessment is positive. Where local people have taken social responsibility and it has become visible to other citizens that people care, then there is less littering.