The municipality of Coevorden closes the year 2022 with a positive result of 9.2 million euros. This is evident from the annual report that the municipality has published.
The municipal executive proposes to the municipal council to add part of this amount to the general reserves, but also to spend part of it this year on certain matters.
This concerns 394,000 euros for the corona compensation. Coevorden received money for this from the government in 2022, but did not spend it completely. The Municipal Executive also proposes to spend 1.3 million euros of the surplus on energy surcharges and, among other things, facilitating reception centres.
In addition, Coevorden wants to spend almost 2.9 million on unrealized projects and other ambitions from previous years. There is also 860,000 euros for the reception of refugees from Ukraine. This concerns money that the municipality received in 2022, but for which costs will still be incurred.
The annual report was discussed tonight in the committee meeting. “Some expenses cannot be planned exactly in a year,” explains mayor Renze Bergsma. “We then report in the budget why that is the case. But the goal should never be to use up the money, the goal should be to properly implement policy and respond to current events.”
A point of concern for various council parties is the shortage of staff in the civil service, which means that projects take longer or are not carried out. “It is time to think”, says Sandra Katerberg – Loman of the CDA. “Sometimes, for example, three people apply for a job in one place. Can’t we see if the other two can go to another place in the organization?”
Bergsma agrees that there are opportunities. “I also think in the way we present ourselves. We also look at what someone who applies for a job has in terms of development points instead of whether they have the right papers. We are understaffed. We are vulnerable and relatively small. If some people drop out, then a project just comes to a standstill for a while.”
In addition, a new proposal will be submitted to the city council regarding the restructuring fund. This fund has been in operation since September 1, 2021, whereby initiators can apply for a subsidy to revive a location through, for example, redevelopment or a change of function. The municipality wants to use the financial resources to entice people to invest in the quality of the villages. There was a budget of 500,000 euros. There have been three applications that have not been granted.
The arrangement was not satisfactory and will stop, says alderman Steven Stegen. “There will be a new scheme that should be better and more accessible. For tackling rotten apples in villages and districts. There are challenges across the board. But I’m already giving a profit warning: here too there are problems when it comes to staffing .” Stegen hopes to present a new proposal to the council this year.
The city council approved the annual accounts for 2022 tonight.