The country’s 27 main town councils have asked the government for a cash injection of €4.9bn over the next 10 years, reports ANP news service on Thursday.

In return the local councils will invest €39bn in renovating neighbourhoods, homes and roads to help the Dutch economy cope with the current crisis.
According to the so-called G27, this approach will generate over 35,000 full-time jobs between 2010 and 2020, says ANP.