Assen Centraal faction chairman Jan Talens has been reprimanded by Asser mayor Marco Out for violating the confidentiality obligation. The letter containing the reprimand to Talens has been made public.
The tap on the fingers revolves around the plans for the vacant V&D building in Assen. Earlier this month, a secret deal surrounding the purchase of the property was leaked.
During the discussion of the plans for an open-air swimming pool in Assen, it became clear that this project was too big a financial risk. Party leader Jan Talens of Assen Centraal then blurted out that the municipality “may also have lost a large sum of money for the purchase of the V&D building.”
Councilor Cor Staal (Christian Union) did not want to comment further on this at that time. The purchase was still confidential at the time, because it had yet to be officially approved by the council. This happened a few days after the information was leaked.
The purchase cost Assen almost 15 million euros. About 150 homes should be built on the site of the vacant building, with shops on the ground floor.
For Talens, breaching confidentiality was an unfortunate slip of the tongue. Mayor Out has therefore decided, in consultation with the other party leaders, not to prosecute Jan Talens. Out also indicates that it was a slip of the tongue and that the group chairman of Assen Centraal has now apologized.
The mayor also writes in the letter that no damage has been caused to the municipality. Marco Out warns that if secret information is leaked again in the future, this will not remain without consequences.