Since this year, the oldest councilor in the Netherlands, Dré Rennenberg (87) from Eindhoven, has not received any surcharge that his younger colleagues do get. And that makes him angry. The council members receive that allowance for one day a week that they have to keep free from their work to do the council work. Because of that one day a week they also miss part of the structure of their pension, that is the allowance for that. But Rennenberg doesn’t get anything. “Discrimination,” he says.
Rennenberg has received the surcharge for the past 19 years, but since January 1 this year the rules have changed. That is why he is now taking steps against the Ministry of the Interior that is about the allowance. He has already sounded the albums at various authorities, including the Human Rights.
“I also called in the union,” says Rennenberg. “He agree with me and is completely behind me.” The oldest councilor has also submitted a motion that is broadly supported by the Eindhoven council.
“I did not expect that I would get such a broad support. The elderly are often the pinch,” says the 87-year-old who also works as a tax adviser at the office of his sons. Above 67 you will no longer get the allowance, because then you no longer build up a pension. “But there are also people with a small pension who can use it very well,” he says.
“It is not meant for that.”
“But that is not the regulation for that,” says the spokesperson for Minister Uitermark (NSC) of the Interior. Minister Uitermark is about the allowance of Rennenberg and his colleagues.
“The compensation for councilors is there because they spend part of their time on council work. And then cannot earn any income,” she explains. “That is at the expense of your pension accrual. But if you are 67+, you will no longer build up a pension. So then you no longer need a surcharge. It is not meant as an extra,” she concludes.
“If I don’t get my right away, I’ll go to The Hague.”
But the seasoned politician from the city of lights has no message. “If I don’t get my right away, I will protest for the Ministry of the Interior in The Hague,” he says. “The minister will be gone soon and we will be with the consequences,” he says indignantly.
The surcharge is around 200 euros per month. “It’s not about the money,” Rennenberg continues his argument. “Whether you are 20 or 87. You should get the allowance,” he says. And about his own pension, the Eindhoven resident does not yet worry: “You don’t just have to write off the elderly because of their age. As long as my head is still doing it, I will continue to work.” And Rennenberg now does at least 40 hours a week.
