During the past council term, our party groups — often working together with others — submitted many proposals and amendments. We also invested a lot of time in talking with residents, which helped us understand early on what matters most to the people of Ooststellingwerf. With two aldermen (‘wethouders’), we were able to put many plans into action. Looking back, we can be proud of what we’ve achieved.
Here is a short summary of our main results:
- Housing - In many villages, housing plans have been developed and approved by the council, with more still being prepared. We’ve ensured that new housing includes more of green space and play areas.
- Pesticides - We keep drawing attention to the risks of pesticides and we started this discussion in the council. Thanks to our efforts, multiple spray-free zones have been created.
- Inclusion - We’ve consistently worked to prevent discrimination and exclusion of minorities, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities.
- Climate Goal 2030 – Our efforts have helped create plans that make a CO₂-neutral municipality by 2030 achievable.
- Plan for the future of community facilities - We visited all villages to hear their needs. The result: every village keeps its essential facilities, such as sports halls, community centers, and swimming pools.
- ‘Participatiewet’ - The law is focused on making people contribute to society by working. We insisted to help people contribute to society where possible, always keeping the human perspective in mind.
- Swimming Lessons - Following our proposal, research is being done to create municipal swimming lessons, aiming to keep those affordable for all citizens.
- Climate Adaptation Plan - This plan prepares our municipality much better for the serious effects of climate change, for example for heavy rain or drought.