Samenvatting

In recent years in The Netherlands around 120 mayors were trained as mediator. Focus of this multi method research was to collect the view of those mayors on – the future of - mediation as a tool in local public administration. More specific in conflicts with citizens, industry and other shareholders. Response rates on online survey was below standards but yield some descriptive aspects of this mayor group. Focus groups were informative. Mediation in local public administration is an accepted and successful phenomenon fact and will be further incorporated. Those mayors were pioneers and innovators but want to pass this method to organizational levels. One plead for incorporating principles and practice of mediation in all administrative processes and protocols.