More than two years ago, BBB, VVD, PvdA and CDA formed a coalition in the Provincial States. Now, halfway through the administrative period, the Provincial Executive will take stock. GS is satisfied with the results achieved, but a large part of the opposition thinks very differently.
Halfway through the ride, the coalition in the provincial government put the dipstick in its own plans and policy. The Provincial Executive, consisting of BBB, VVD, PvdA and CDA, believe that good results have been achieved. At the same time, they still have to tackle very large things, for which national politics is also needed. That is stated in a 2 A4-tjes evaluation.
A large part of the opposition in the middle and on the left side of the Provincial States (PS) is not satisfied. They find the evaluation far too skinny and miss a critical look at themselves at the Provincial Executive (GS). Moreover, they are still waiting for the promised new management culture.
GS has achieved different goals in the last two years. For example, with the sustainability of bulb cultivation steps, the Lower Saxony Line will be taken and the bottleneck is tackled on the track near Meppel. Building houses runs on schedule and the lobby for lowering the protected status of the wolf is successful. Moreover, there are plans for the rural area for strong agriculture, nature restoration and they work on a nitrogen solution together with the farmers, while Politics The Hague stops.
At the same time, the coalition sees that they are dependent on The Hague for some of those large files. A lot has yet to be done when helping PAS counts. Licensing is also still ‘on hold’ due to the nitrogen problems and there is the demand for more room by Defense in Drenthe.
GS believes that they collaborated much more with the Provincial States in the recent period. That was also the goal. For important issues, starting notes have been created where Drenthe politics can indicate at the front which choices must be made. There are many more extra information meetings for PS and the resident of Drenthe is better heard through the new citizen council.
The Burgergeraad was also on the GS success list. But that has to get rid of it, thinks PvdA party chairman Hendrikus Loof because that is a success of PS and not from GS.
Where the Provincial Executive is praising the own policy, there is a lot of criticism from the opposition. First of all about the short and very general evaluation, which is summarized in two A4 tjes. “Is this the evaluation after two years that the BBB wanted so badly in the coalition agreement?”, Sterk Local party leader Jan Steenbergen expresses the disappointment of the opposition. “We had wanted to see an evaluation on content and measurable goals.”
PS was not asked what they think of the policy, concludes the Party of the Animals. The SP compares the evaluation with a butcher who inspects its own meat. The two A4 tjes stand for ChristenUnie party leader Bernadette van den Berg Symbol for what has ended up from the new management culture.
According to deputy Gert-Jan Schuinder, who was still party leader at the BBB in the first year and a half, and VVD party chairman Cees Vianen, there have now been so many evaluation moments throughout the political process, which has now been opted for a very short evaluation. A ‘We at WC-Duck advise WC-duck evaluation’ thinks D66, which is missing self-reflection. “And there is still a lot of ‘work-in-progress’ and that will not be getting along,” says D66 Staten member Jan Christiaan Hellendoorn, referring to the large files.
But the College of GS and the lecture parties do not shrink during the debate, which lasted almost half a day. According to them, the evaluation is fine. Only PvdA party chairman Loof gives a glimpse: “We still want to continue with conviction, but it is not always easy and sometimes we bite our tongue. BBB regularly refers to the trash can. And in practice it is all not too bad with that administrative renewal. Is it still there?”
A remark from JA21 party leader Harry Omlo is wrong with deputy Yvonne Turenhout (PvdA). He believes that GS should attract the harrowing cases of inhabitants and farmers in Laaghalerveen, who are victims of the defense extension plans. “In GS and also in PS, just about all parties started their lobby to The Hague,” said Turenhout. “In addition, I have been a shoulder to shoulder with the farmers at the House of Representatives, where results have been achieved thanks to the lobby.”