Rekenkamer Utrecht's Algorithm Audit — 45 Algorithms in Use, Five Examined, One Running Without the Human Oversight Policy Requires

On 2 December 2025 the Rekenkamer Utrecht reported on how the municipality of Utrecht handles algorithms. The city uses 45 algorithms, among them tools for monitoring parking congestion, distributing permits and street-cleaning vehicles; the auditors examined five of them in depth.
Findings: staff do not uniformly follow the municipal guidelines for responsible algorithm use; one algorithm operated without the human final decision that municipal policy requires; employees receive insufficient training in managing algorithm risks; the municipality has not set measurable goals for deploying algorithms or evaluating their effectiveness; departments have wide discretion in risk mitigation, so it is unclear whether safeguards work; the council receives only high-level information; and the register, though pioneering (Utrecht registered algorithms from 2020, and most Dutch municipalities do not publish comparable registers), could be more current and specific, notably on why an algorithm is classed as impactful.
The Court of Audit recommends less discretion in risk management, better training, clear accountability metrics and richer reporting to the council and the public. The case is useful for other cities because it shows the second-generation problem after a register is built: keeping entries accurate and making guidelines operational. The press reports reviewed do not state the municipality's formal response, and no improvement data exist yet.

Read the full analysis: https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/3974526/rekenkamer-gemeente-utrecht-gaat-niet-goed-genoeg-om-met-algoritmes