The Veendam municipal council does not want an independent investigation into the departure of former councilor Annelies Kleve. An opposition motion to do this just failed. Of the 19 council members present, ten voted against an investigation and nine in favor.
The faction of the coalition party PvdA voted divided. Two members voted in favor of the opposition motion. “Not out of distrust towards the mayor and aldermen, but to clarify for everyone what happened,” said Josh Tepper, one of the two supporters.
The opposition demanded an independent investigation into the events surrounding the sudden resignation of former councilor Annelies Kleve (D66). She resigned on December 11 last year after five years as councilor.
Kleve said he was resigning ‘because the confidence to be able to take responsibility for policy within the council is no longer present’. She questioned the integrity of the other college members.
Argument over Wedeka building
Councilor Henk Jan Schmaal (Municipal Interests) in particular has to pay the price. She accuses him of acting behind her back regarding the move of the Wedeka sheltered employment agency to a new building to be purchased in Veendam.
“The entire opposition regrets the departure of former councilor Kleve and demands an independent investigation. What exactly happened that was not honest and went against the collegiate board?”, Hilly Venema (VUK) wants to know on behalf of the petitioners.
“The council did not receive any clarity from the council until February 22. Apparently there was no trust. But why not?” Or as D66 faction leader Hanneke Schoenmaker-Tiems puts it. “Who did what, where and when.”
“Because the council has not been open, the opposition has asked Kleve itself to explain its side of the story,” say councilors Ammy van Eerden (Christian Union), Luuk Jonker, Linda van der Ende and Harry Schoonewille ( SP), Ingrid Drent (CDA), Hilly Venema (VUK) and Hanneke Schoenmaker (D66).
Collision with councilor Schmaal
Kleve writes in that letter: “Due to the actions of Henk Jan Schmaal in the Wedeka file, confidence in a desired collaboration has completely disappeared and I have drawn my conclusions from this.” She is said to have collided with her several times. co-worker. Kleve: “In my opinion, he should have distanced himself from decision-making about the purchase of the property.”
The mayor and aldermen of Veendam indicate that they do not recognize Kleve’s letter. Both parties have different explanations of what happened and these are subject to different interpretations, the council said.
Acting mayor Sandra Korthuis (VVD): “I have tried to talk to Mrs Kleve several times. She did not enter into a conversation with me or with the other members of the board. We never learned first-hand about her motivations. We were not able to have the final conversation with Mrs Kleve herself. That saddens us very much.”
Veendam continues with three aldermen
After Kleve’s departure, there will be no successor. The municipality of Veendam will continue with three aldermen for the next two years, the remaining council period: Henk Jan Schmaal (GemeenteBelangen), Ans Grimbergen (PvdA) and Bert Wierenga (VVD). After Kleve’s resignation, the D66 faction left the coalition with GemeenteBelangen, the PvdA and the VVD. The coalition continues to hold a majority in the municipal council with 13 of the 21 council seats.
Former councilor Kleve has taken advantage of the return guarantee and is now working again for the Volkskredietbank Noord-Oost Groningen, the municipality of Veendam said. She was director there for eight years until she became alderman in Veendam in 2018.