Will the refugee boat stay longer in Meppel? Mayor Richard Korteland no longer excludes this due to the large flow of refugees from Ukraine. In addition, more reception locations are being organised, such as in the old hospital in Meppel.
There are still 90 men from Syria and Yemen on the boat. They came to Meppel because the shelter in Ter Apel was overcrowded. The men would return to Ter Apel at the end of March, but Meppel expects that this is no longer an option due to the Ukrainian refugee flow. That is why a longer stay of refugees on the boat is now a possibility.
Reception at people’s homes is not recommended for the time being. “The arrival of people from Ukraine means that there is even more demand for shelter,” says Korteland. That is why the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) is now asking whether the refugee boat can stay longer in Meppel. Because the reception of refugees on the rented tour boat has been going very well so far, Korteland is open to extending the reception after 1 April. For this, support is first sought from local residents. On Monday 14 March, a meeting with local residents will take place in the Kruiskerk. Local residents have already been invited to this. The city council of Meppel previously voted unanimously for refugees to stay longer on the boat.
Old hospital concrete as a large reception location
Since March 4, Meppel has put together a crisis team. Meppel has considered various options for the care of people from Ukraine in the longer term. One of those options is the current Isala hospital and nearby Reggersoord rehabilitation center. Isala is moving to the new hospital this month, leaving the old location vacant. This was discussed last week with Isala board members. From these discussions it appears that reception in both these locations is one of the possibilities.
That opens the door for further investigation. Meppel is now looking at how quickly the hospital can be ready for reception and how many people can go there. As soon as this is known, Meppel will enter into discussions with local residents. In addition to the hospital and Reggersoord, other locations are also being examined. Meppel is in talks with property owners and initiators. Whether that is ultimately used depends on the question that is submitted to Meppel. Hospital care may be sufficient.
Reception at people’s homes
According to the mayor, there are already many people who want to receive refugees in their own home. Korteland calls it heartwarming, but has his doubts about it. “We have already spoken with a number of initiators. In those conversations, we advised, however laudable the initiative is, to think it over again, or to postpone the plans for the reception of people. The number of reception places with private individuals is relatively low and the reception is therefore fragmented.”
“In addition, it is expected that the reception of Ukrainians will have a long-term character and that requires a lot from private individuals,” continues Korteland. “The municipality of Meppel, together with the other municipalities in Drenthe, is preparing for large-scale reception through a coordinated approach in a crisis structure. If and as soon as it comes to the point that we receive people from Ukraine in Meppel, we will still desperately need the Meppel community. have for things such as daytime activities, guidance of people and other forms of support.”
Municipality has to pay childcare
The reception of people from Ukraine is organized differently from the usual reception of refugees by the COA. The difference is that the reception of Ukrainians is a task of the municipality and not of the COA. This means that this care must be paid for and organized by the municipality. “But the national government has promised to compensate generously,” said the mayor.