Mayor Eiko Smid of the municipality of Sint-Michielsgestel, who was previously not temporarily not working due to illness, transfers the migration file to Alderman Theo Geldens. The municipality reports this on Tuesday morning. The alderman already had the file in the period that the mayor was absent due to illness. That was precisely the period that there was great unrest in the municipality about the possible arrival of an asylum seekers’ center in Berlicum.
The portfolio that alderman now takes over from the mayor is both the reception of Ukrainians, the reception of refugees from outside the European Union and the housing of status holders. In addition, Geldens is also responsible for labor migrants. Mayor Smid was absent from February to the beginning of April due to illness. Then Geldens already took over the portfolio migration from him.
Feelings picked up
When Alderman Veldens Migration had just in his package, plans leaked for a possible AZC in Berlicum, which led to fierce protests and considerable discussions within the municipality. Due to all the unrest, a majority of political parties in Sint-Michielsgestel decided to stop the plans for the asylum seekers’ center at the end of March.
Mayor Smid has since been restored, but Geldens therefore remains responsible for the portfolio migration. This would have been decided in close consultation with the mayor and the rest of the college. “In recent weeks I have been able to have a lot of good conversations, getting to know the residents and also picked up the feelings in society,” the alderman said on the website of DTV News. “Now I want to keep in conversation. In the coming months, attention is mainly to aftercare and connection in relation to the residents of Berlicum.”
Future
The 64-year-old alderman emphasizes that the portfolio migration is not only about the AZC, but is much broader. That is why he wants to come into contact with the whole of society about this after the period of aftercare.
“This contact is primarily aimed at hearing without in advance taken views or intentions how our residents think about the reception of people who are on the flight in the broadest sense of the word. All this with the sole purpose of having a bill of findings determined by the city council by the end of the year.”
‘Not out of luxury’
The COA thinks it is a shame that the AZC in Berlicum is off the track, but announced at the end of March that it would be talking to the municipality. “We do not ask for luxury for reception places,” a spokesperson emphasized at the time. “According to the Spreading Act, the municipality must contribute to the reception of asylum seekers.”