Village council of Petten disappointed in approach to asylum reception municipality: “Explanation is missing every time”

It has been the talk of the day in Petten for days that the temporary emergency shelter will remain open until January 2024 and then possibly be extended for another five years, but then under the management of the COA. The municipality informed the residents of the coastal village by letter last week. According to Jaap Martin, chairman of the Petten Village Council, it was yet another slap in the face for the residents of Petten, due to poor communication from the municipality.

“It started with the first information evening in September last year, about the emergency shelter that was to come. The mayor did not address the people then and did not enter into a conversation. That was very annoying,” says Jaap Martin. That evening was summarized by a resident of Petten as ‘cringe‘, because nothing was said about it safety, decision-making and communication.

But even after the first incident, according to Martin, the municipality has not learned from its mistakes. Although the chairman of the Village Council was invited for a meeting at the town hall at the beginning of May, it was not possible to tell in advance what the meeting would be about. “As a result, I could not even prepare for the meeting, in which it was eventually announced that an extension would be made.”

“Give an explanation. That explanation is missing every time. We always think that they know more before, but they don’t tell us,” says Hans Kruijer of the Petten Entrepreneurs Association. “If we are misinformed, as is the case now, then you get suspicious,” continues Jaap Martin.

And that bothers both gentlemen, but according to them also the Pettemers themselves. Although there is a lot of understanding for the arrival of the temporary emergency shelter. “Yes, we do understand the problem. Those people must of course have shelter,” Hans Kruijer agrees. Yet Jaap doubts the extension of five years and the COA that will then take over the shelter.

And that is why he wrote an on behalf of the Petten Village Council letter to the municipality, in which all the doubts of the Pettemers are described. “Crisis emergency shelter is of course very different from emergency shelter. With crisis emergency shelter, the municipality still has a grip on it,” says Jaap Martin, “but then it goes to the COA and people are very anxious about that. What will happen in those next five years? We are not confident about that situation.”

In addition, Jaap and Hans also wonder whether the current location, with a large tent with 48 rooms, is good enough to accommodate refugees for another five years. “Plus the fact that you are on a Natura 2000 area and there are nitrogen emissions with those generators.”

Tourists

Jaap is mainly afraid that the coastal village will be put on the map in a negative way by the emergency shelter. “Petten has initiated a process of development in recent years. For example, we are busy with housing a lot and this could also be something that will hold back the rest of the plans. And the tourist season is also approaching. How do those two react? groups on each other? You don’t know how that works.”

So far, according to Hans, who is in close contact with the Petten entrepreneurs, there is no reason to panic. “Entrepreneurs are critical and keep a close eye on things, but do not have the signals that things are going wrong,” he says. We also regularly think about involving the refugees in the activities that are organized in the village. “We did that with Petten on Ice or King’s Day, for example,” says Hans.

These are great developments, but Jaap still hopes to be able to discuss all points with the municipality again letter to walk again. “This creates a large wall between the municipality of Schagen and Petten,” concludes the chairman of the village council.