Alderman Lex Kupers of Samen voor Pekela resigns after a year as alderman. He no longer feels confidence from his own party after it voted against the agreements made in his plan for domestic help.
Alderman Lex Kupers (63) had serious files such as the bridge problem in the village and the Wmo, which includes domestic help. The costs for this have almost doubled in recent years, so that the municipality will write in the red every year without intervention. The municipality cannot do that. Kupers came up with a plan on Tuesday to contain the rising costs.
However, a proposal to further develop that plan could not count on the support of the city council last Tuesday. Together for Pekela also voted against the proposal of his own alderman. Another factor is that two of the three council members work a few hours a week in domestic care in Nieuwe Pekela. Kupers: ,,While we had discussed that they would vote in favour.”
‘Dagger in the back’
Kupers did not know what hit him. The vote has far-reaching consequences: cutbacks may have to be made from next year.
“It felt like a stab in the back. A man, a man. One word, one word.” It is fine if his party changes his mind, says Kupers, but he would like to hear that in advance. “As alderman, I should know what my own party thinks, right? What we stand for?” Kupers sometimes disagreed with his alderman when he was still a councilor. “Then you talked about it. But you were a goat for each other.” This was a failure.
On Wednesday evening, the party set up a meeting to talk about it. ,,I got emotional and left there”, says Kupers. He no longer felt confidence from his party. “We couldn’t figure it out. That’s why I kept the honor to myself this morning.”
No delay
According to party chairman and former alderman Jaap van Mannekes, Kupers indeed wondered whether he could continue and Kupers expressed that he did not feel supported. Together for Pekela, Kupers saw further growth as an alderman, says Van Mannekes. ,,Lex should not have left us.”
Kupers: ,,He should have said that last night. “We support you.” Kupers is emotionally sad on Thursday. “I put my heart and soul into it. I wanted to finish it off, wanted to be there for the Pekelders.” Besides the Social Support Act, the alderman also had the file bridges. He does not expect the plans for the Pekelder Hoofddiep to be delayed. “After the summer, everyone can participate. I also hope, despite the fact that I am no longer an alderman, that Pekelders will make use of it.”
It is unknown who will get the bridges in his portfolio and which new alderman should come.