City councils address residents' concerns with effective solutions

Sharjah, one of the most culturally rich cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has set high standards for others to emulate. Its local administrative bodies, the Municipal Councils and the Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC), have formed a governance ecosystem that balances local responsiveness with strategic oversight, ensuring that urban growth is both sustainable and inclusive.

Emerging as a regional leader in sustainable urban development, the city’s evolution is driven by community engagement and the operations of the double engine growth hypothesis. While municipal councils operate at the city and district levels, the SCC plays a broader legislative and advisory role.

Thrust of municipal councils

The councils serve as direct representatives of the community. And the impact is evident in several areas:

•          Community-centred planning: The councils gather feedback from residents and translate it into actionable policies and initiatives. For example, the Dibba Al Hisn Council collaborated with the Directorate of Town Planning and Survey (DTPS) to develop urban plans tailored to local aspirations, including infrastructure upgrades and enhancing public services.

•          Environmental stewardship: The councils oversee the development of green spaces, waste management, and coastal preservation. In Kalba, the municipal council, with the support of DTPS, rehabilitated old neighbourhoods while integrating health, recreational, and educational services into new housing plans. Kalba is popular for eco-tourism, offering opportunities for scuba diving and wildlife spotting while trekking, including that of Arabian oryx, the national animal of the UAE.

•          Infrastructure advocacy: The councils support the integration of smart technologies, such as energy-efficient lighting and digital traffic systems, to reduce environmental impact and improve urban efficiency.

•          Social sustainability initiatives: Recently, Sharjah launched the ‘Youth, Sustainable Future’ programme, offering financial and psychological support to young municipal employees on matrimonial planning to strengthen family stability, a key element of a sustainable community.

Consultative Council at the core

Similarly, the SCC ensures that development aligns with its long-term vision and its contribution is multifaceted:

•          Policy review and recommendations: In 2022, during its 12th session, the SCC reviewed SDTPS’s design, which included land planning, transportation networks, and data integration. It emphasised the need for 47,665 residential plots by 2042, based on population growth forecasts and spatial analysis.

•          Infrastructure monitoring: The SCC’s follow-up committee regularly visits departments such as the Directorate of Public Works to assess project execution. Early this year, the committee reviewed sewage system upgrades, school construction and smart maintenance technologies to ensure alignment with sustainable goals.

•          Cross-sector coordination: The SCC facilitates collaboration with municipal councils, housing authorities and environmental agencies to ensure that urban planning is not siloed but integrated across sectors.

•          Data-driven decision-making: The Emirates’ economy, valued at $45 billion, supports 1.8 million residents. The SCC encourages the use of granular data to guide urban planning, as highlighted during the 2024 Sharjah Forum on Smart Cities.

Eco-friendly residential community

A flagship example of collaborative governance is the Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC). Launched in 2020, with a budget of 2 billion AED ($545 million) and spanning 668,900 km², it has been developed by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Diamond Developers.

It features 1,120 energy-efficient (solar-powered) villas, wastewater recycling systems for irrigation, green buildings and organic farming domes, as well as electric vehicle infrastructure, walkable neighbourhoods, community pools, a wellness centre, sports facilities, and a school. The city is designed to minimise its environmental footprint through various initiatives and promotes social cohesion.

A 2023 study using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) revealed that energy-efficient building design ranked highest (0.121) among planning priorities, followed by public transportation-oriented development (0.115), renewable energy (0.102), park/green area development (0.092), green buildings (0.029), and water circulation features (0.026).

Expectation, not exception

Experts claim that the scores reflect consensus on what matters most for sustainable urban planning in Sharjah. As the Emirate continues to evolve, these councils remain the architects that honour its past while embracing the future. Thus, a unified vision for the future requires synergy between municipal councils and the SCC to ensure that the city’s development plans preserve cultural heritage, withstand environmental and social challenges and are driven by smart technologies and global best practices.

As they say, ‘Good governance should be an expectation, not an exception.’ The mission for all of us should be, as Kenyan political activist Wangari Maathai mentioned, “To make sure we don't only protect the environment, we also improve governance.”