Waalre is slowly climbing out of its financial trough, but it’s not there yet. That, in short, is the conclusion of the new municipal budget. The village had to make budget cuts last year, but thanks to a financial windfall, the municipality can now breathe a little easier.
While Alderperson Maarten Pieters (finance) concluded just a few months ago that things were looking ‘bleak,’ he can now report with relief that additional funding has been made available from The Hague. This budget is earmarked for youth care, a policy area where Waalre was short on funds. “We did not get as much as thev association of Dutch municipalities would have liked, but it is a significant contribution that has really helped us. It even leads to a balanced budget for Waalre”.
He is quick to add, however, that residents shouldn’t count their chickens before they hatch. The roughly €350,000 that The Hague is now giving Waalre is sufficient for now, but doesn’t provide any certainty for the coming years.
In addition to the ‘plus’ from the national government, the municipality’s budget cuts, among other things, have also contributed to the positive shift in the budget. Pieters: “So there’s a very nice legacy for the new municipal council next year”.
Ambitions
Waalre’s sails may be cautiously raised in the coming period, a metaphor sailor Pieters likes to use, but it’s still necessary to secure more funding in the coming years. “So that the long-term course can be set”.
Significant cuts were expected for road improvements and the development of a (new) youth centre, but according to Alderperson Suzan van de Goor (Housing and Mobility), work can now resume on achieving these ambitions. A total of eight neighbourhoods have been selected for maintenance. Voldijn-Noord is at the top of Municipal Council’s list, followed by Kranssen and Voldijn-Zuid, and later the other five.
Van de Goor: “It’s up to Municipal Council to determine how seriously the neighbourhoods will be addressed. It could involve a comprehensive neighbourhood approach, only essential maintenance, or something in between. Neighbourhoods will also have a say in these decisions. The total renovation of the eight neighbourhoods should be completed within thirty years”.
Social Reliance
Healthcare Alderperson Kees Vortman believes that less expensive care will be needed if there’s a greater focus on prevention and residents ask neighbours and family for help more often. “That approach has worked well so far. Within the social domain, the rule is ‘no tasks without money’, but I also hope we can maintain constructive dialogue. After all, we can’t get by on just a bag of money. Residents also have to contribute their own share”.
The Municipal Council was asked whether Waalre also hopes to receive funding from Beethoven project, in which the region is also investing to facilitate the region’s rapid growth. Van de Goor: “We currently have one construction project for which we’ve applied for a subsidy from that fund. Normally, as a municipality, we never invest in construction projects. We ensure that plans can be drawn up, that they are implemented, and that public spaces are developed, but we generally don’t provide a financial contribution. We’ve made an exception for this one project – Brabantiapark”.
Discussion
The budget will be discussed in City Council on Tuesday, and on Thursday, 6 November, local politicians will make a final decision on Waalre’s financial future.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
