There will be a merger between Best and Oirschot. ‘Unless very crazy things happen,’ is the opinion of both municipal councils. They have responded positively to the proposal to merge. If all goes well, the merger could be a fact on January 1, 2028.
This is feasible if the process goes quickly and well, but “diligence is more important than speed,” said John Verheijen, chairman of Best’s council working group. “We have now really started to work together and this will remain so in the follow-up process.”
Both councils will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive analysis and study. An important part of this phase is participation, closely involving residents, entrepreneurs and civil society organizations.
Within their municipal councils, it is determined what they consider important in a merger. Think of services (own counter or open in the evening hours), housing (where will the new town hall be) and safety. Ultimately, all the requirements and wishes of Best and Oirschot will be combined into one decision.
Joint
On Sept. 16, the Best City Council responded positively to Oirschot’s request to explore further cooperation. To this end, a joint study is now being launched to assess whether an administrative merger is possible and desirable. The council working groups of Oirschot and Best have jointly prepared an initiative proposal for this purpose.
This proposal, which both councils will discuss in November, provides guidelines for the next phase: the exploration and participation phase. During this phase, various topics will be examined that have an impact on a possible administrative merger. Consider, for example, the financial situation of both municipalities and the strengths and weaknesses of the official organizations.
The collaborations of the municipalities are also part of the study. What are the consequences for various collaborations? In addition, the colleges are instructed to look at how surrounding municipalities and the province view a merger.
Involvement
At the end of the exploration phase, residents, entrepreneurs and civil society organizations will be involved. The proposal deliberately puts this at the end so that the outlines of the study can be shared. Claud Leermakers, chairman of Oirschot’s council working group: “We are curious about the opportunities and concerns they see. This input is also important for the follow-up process.”
By mid-2025, a first step toward the merger should be taken. After the decision in principle, the legal process will follow. Best and Oirschot must then decide twice more whether to proceed. This process takes at least two years.
Elections
Another factor in a possible merger is the municipal elections of March 18, 2026. Verheijen: “In the most favorable scenario, the new municipality is a fact on January 1, 2028. This means that the elected municipal council will only be active for one year and nine months. After all, so-called redistricting elections must then be held in November 2027.”
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta.
