Bergen op Zoom has lost tons on the bankruptcy of Gift Voucher GroupCard. Earlier it turned out that the municipality of Den Bosch had more than two tons in gift cards. The municipality of Bergen op Zoom has lost more than double, 427,780 euros to be precise.
That reports Southwest TV After reading a letter from the Bergse College to the city council.
“In the worst scenario, the loss for our municipality can amount to 427,780 euros,” mayor Margo Mulder and municipal secretary Jaap Perfors write on behalf of the college. “It is still unclear whether we can reclaim part of the amount and how great the final damage will be.”
Groupcard collaborated with around 120 municipalities in the Netherlands. Through the company, municipalities could offer gift cards to volunteers, employees or minima. These cards could then be spent with local entrepreneurs. But the company is bankrupt and therefore all that community money has probably disappeared like snow in the sun.
Affairs not in order
First signals show that there may be financial mismanagement at Groupcard. The bankruptcy trustee investigates whether the money in the account, which was intended for citizens, was used to supplement deficits with other BVs within Groupcard.
The municipality of Bergen op Zoom has submitted a claim to the curator. In addition, the municipality hopes to be able to set up together with other victims, including Den Bosch.
Projects temporarily stopped
As a precaution, Bergen op Zoom has stopped all payments via the Regional Energy Desk, until there is more clarity about the financial situation. According to the Bergse College, this can have consequences for current insulation and energy saving projects.
The residents who have already applied for a Gift Card from GroupCard have since been informed. New requests can no longer be made.
Other municipalities
Inquiries from Southwest TV at municipalities in West Brabant shows that only Bergen op Zoom has been financially duped by the bankruptcy of GroupCard. Woensdrecht, Roosendaal and Etten-Leur had a white goods scheme via GroupCard in the past, but these actions have since been closed. Moerdijk uses its own gift card in the municipality, the Kadobon Moerdijk. The other municipalities did not use the services of GroupCard.