She just doesn’t complete the nine years in the Hoogeveen city council. Even though there are quite a few things that she would have liked to have tackled, party chairman Jutta van den Oord (SP) has taken the plunge and is out of the council.
Last year, party chairman and municipal councilor Jutta van den Oord already wanted to take a step back, she stayed on as party chairman in the interest of the party. Even for the stability of the board. “Fifteen new councilors came, that’s about half, isn’t it?!” Now it’s time to let go. Last night she said goodbye to the council. Jeroen Pomper, number 2 of the party for years, takes over the party chairmanship. Harry Baalman has been sworn in as second councilor for the SP. “Now is the time to clear the path for others.”
Never expected
It is quite surprising that Van den Oord ended up with the SP. “I come from a VVD nest. The first time I voted was for CDA, later on it became PvdA. I like to stand up for people whose crib was in the ‘wrong place’. I never expected that I would end up so far left. Within the SP I am therefore on the right side.” She sighs. “Actually, I have trouble with the labels left and right. I am not someone who wants to score in politics. You are a representative of the people. For me, it’s about developing Hoogeveen, for everyone. That sounds ideological, doesn’t it? But I think fighting among themselves in politics is a waste of energy.”
It is precisely this position that makes it difficult for her to accept that Forum for Democracy is on the council. “I am really worried about that, think about history. I understand the mistrust of politics, the dissatisfaction of people.” Another sigh “It is just like with the fragmentation of the political landscape in the House of Representatives; I cannot change it on my own.”
She doesn’t have to think about what impressed her the most. “The rupture of the college. Everything was so sharp then. After that the hatchet was buried and we could work on a beautiful and pleasant society. The appointment of a business council ensured administrators with experience. Hoogeveen needed that. We lost the financial overview.”
Bleeding heart
The time that followed was not easy, according to her. “We had to take measures that make my heart bleed. The austerity packages, the disappearance of the activities fund, the funds for the social domain. But it had to make Hoogeveen financially healthy again. I am glad that we were able to keep the additional costs scheme alive.”
The modest politician does not see herself as a political leader. “No, I don’t feel that way. I see it as nine years in which I learned a lot, met a lot of involved people.” She found the combination of party chairmanship, work and informal care for her father in Brabant quite tough.
When she realized that she is the oldest council member (almost 64 years old), it gave her a push. “It was a signal ‘it’s about time you pack your bags’”. She did. “I will first sit between the geraniums for two months, but I will not stop completely. I will remain administratively involved in the SP.” Will she miss work? “I think mostly the people. What I also regret is that I cannot be involved in the search for a new mayor. I would have liked that.”