In two years time, the costs for domestic help in Pekela have almost doubled. A plan to get a better grip on costs may affect the lives of hundreds of residents. Council members are skeptical, it turned out Tuesday evening.
The costs for scrubbing and cleaning help for Pekelders who can no longer do the work themselves have completely gone over the head in the municipality in two years. In 2021, the work will cost just over a million euros. This year that will increase to 1.8 million euros.
This is due to the higher wage costs, but also the growing number of residents using the aid increased by 65 to 535.
To get a grip on those costs, the mayor and aldermen of Pekela want to switch from a general provision to tailor-made solutions. In practice, this means that more attention is paid to the social network and what residents can still do themselves than is currently the case. And that people who still need help now will not receive it or receive it less.
Guess not eager
Although eight of the ten Groningen municipalities work via tailor-made solutions, council members were not enthusiastic, as it turned out during the first round of discussions. They fear that residents will be left out and that a lot of administrative hassle will be left behind.
Erik Schipper (GroenLinks) does not see the need either. Relatively speaking, there are fewer residents in Pekela who make use of domestic help than the national average. He thinks that the calculations were too tight in the first instance.
It is also awaiting the income test that will probably be introduced in 2026. What residents pay then depends on their income. Now that amount is still the same for everyone.
Moreover, domestic help has already been cut back, points out Grietje Norder-Smit (Together for Pekela). “We were once the most social municipality in the Netherlands, I’m afraid we won’t be that anymore soon.”
The council will meet again on June 27 to discuss the plans.