It is one of the reasons why the costs are two million euros more expensive. But it is also because there is a setback. The municipality hoped to be able to reuse a lot of material. That appears not to be the case. This applies, among other things, to the ceiling tiles, which entails an additional cost of €300,000.
Previously, local politicians were not very happy with the renovation plan. It costs a lot of money, and it is not a popular measure. The reactions from society were not very positive. “It’s not about luxury. There will be no gold taps,” says Maathuis. “This investment is also an investment in our society. Our civil servants work for society, and if they can work well here, it will pay off.”
He means that civil servants implement the municipality’s policy. “So that residents can receive facilities that they are entitled to or benefit from.” That work is more difficult to do in the current city hall, says the mayor. For example, conversation and meeting rooms are not soundproof, so you can listen to (confidential) conversations of others. But there are also safety concerns. Unauthorized persons sometimes enter areas where they are not supposed to be, and employees are more often confronted with aggression.