“In 2019 there were talks about recreation plans between the province and the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. But there seemed to be no developments in recent years,” says Alderman Jan Schipper in tonight’s city council meeting. He says he is surprised by the plans.
Funny?
“It has not been going well lately,” jokes acting mayor Cees Bijl, who has only recently left the province as a deputy. Other parties find the situation a little less funny.
This way of communicating has ‘no style’, says GroenLinks on the alderman’s story. “Mr Brink (deputy, ed.) Couldn’t have communicated that as a good neighbour?” Jannes Kerssies of Municipal Interests adds.
Research
Some councilors are calling on the Municipal Executive of Midden-Drenthe to investigate the purchase of the Brunstingerplas and thereby get a better grip on the matter.
“This unique nature reserve on the outskirts of Beilen deserves a destination that belongs to the area. Therefore, care must be taken. It is logical that the destination is primarily determined by the municipality,” says the party Municipal Interests Smilde, Beilen, Westerbork, who put the proposal on the agenda.
The PvdA also sees benefit in this. Party chairman Joop Kramer often comes there in winter to watch birds. “This is a way of the province to put pressure on the municipal destination, which reads differently. I don’t think this is a way of how governments should treat each other and I have no confidence that it will work out. Ownership is sometimes the best protection and so we have to look into that.”
The council always has the last word. He is confident that everything will be fine. Other parties therefore find an investigation unnecessary. The VVD, the CDA, D66 and Municipal Interests agree. The sale is ultimately not investigated.