The plan was to renovate Meppel’s town hall for eight million euros. Was, because the city council did not agree with it. He thought that was way too much money and only wanted to have what was strictly necessary carried out.
That was the end of September. Now, at the beginning of November, this whole plan is being discussed again. This investment of 8 million euros is mentioned in the municipality’s budget.
The city council rejects this for the second time. He is surprised that the amount has been fully returned to the plans. “A crazy state of affairs,” says SP member Xander Topma.
According to the municipality, the town hall is outdated and therefore no longer meets current requirements. A major problem in the city hall, which was opened 20 years ago, is noise pollution. What is discussed in consultation rooms can also be heard outside that room. This is problematic, for example, if private conversations are held with residents.
Another important point for renovation is safety in the town hall. Civil servants cannot always do their work safely. Visitors sometimes enter departments where they are not allowed, and the police regularly have to be called because of angry visitors in the hall.
The parties are not completely against the renovation, but want only what is necessary to happen. They want to simplify it. This mainly concerns safety and noise pollution. This does not immediately include the renovation of the council chamber or the redesign of the town hall with, for example, more meeting rooms. Plans that do fall under that 8 million.
Mayor Richard Korteland acknowledges that the plans should not have suddenly emerged again. “We did not do that correctly,” he says on behalf of the municipal board. “We just didn’t do that well.”
The reason given is the short period of time between the previous discussion about this in the council, at the end of September, and the delivery of the budget.
Now the plan for the multi-million dollar renovation of the city hall is disappearing for the second time. For the time being, because there is a new plan for a cheaper renovation with only the necessary.