Municipality of Meppel has five million euros left: ‘Gives a distorted picture’

taketonews

The ‘old’ aldermen of Meppel have presented their latest annual accounts. They close it with a plus of five million euros, although that does not give a realistic picture.

Alderman for finance Jaap van der Haar is satisfied with the result, but warns against too much optimism. “It gives a distorted picture.” In the corona crisis, the municipalities received more money from the central government in The Hague. In addition, many planned projects were postponed, as a result of which the money was not made available. Meppel expects that many postponed projects will be picked up in the near future and that the money will then be spent. Van der Haar also thinks that the consequences of the corona crisis are not yet gone, and that even more people will knock on the door for benefits.

Behind the scenes, the new college of Meppel is currently being formed. This will probably consist of Sterk Meppel, VVD and D66. Van der Haar hopes that the new college will pay attention, because there is tension in Meppel’s finances. “Strengthening our financial position will remain an important point of attention in the coming years,” said the alderman. “At the same time, there are plenty of opportunities for further responsible growth in Meppel. Our level of facilities is high and Meppel is popular with residents and entrepreneurs. This provides a solid foundation for further building a sustainable municipality with a strong economy and a strong community. In short, we are continuing to build an even more beautiful Meppel.”

The 2021 annual accounts will be discussed in the municipal council meeting on 2 June.

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