Two long-serving councillors honored with Royal Decorations as municipal council bids farewell
After 12 years of service, two dedicated councillors, Hanneke Willemstein and Niels Huismans, received Royal Decorations during their final council meeting. Their contributions to local governance, particularly in social domains and civic engagement, leave a lasting impact on residents as the new council prepares to take over.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Honorees | Hanneke Willemstein (GBSV), Niels Huismans (GBA) |
| Decoration | Members of the Order of Orange-Nassau |
| Years of Service | 12 years (three council terms) |
| Focus Areas | Social domain, culture, youth, education, economy, and finance |
| Farewell Date | 30 March 2026 |
| New Council Installation | 1 April 2026 |
| Other Retiring Members | Richard van den Berg, Guus Huijben, Bart Lauwaars, Wim in ’t Veld |
Municipal councils play a crucial role in local governance, representing residents' interests and shaping policies that directly affect daily life. The council oversees areas such as social services, education, and economic development, ensuring that local needs are addressed and community engagement is fostered.
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Farewell to the council and decorations for two retiring councillors
Monday 30 March marked the final council meeting and farewell to this municipal council. During the meeting, Mayor Lieke Schuitmaker presented a Royal Decoration on behalf of King Willem-Alexander to two retiring councillors: Hanneke Willemstein and Niels Huismans. Both had served for 12 years (three council terms) on the municipal council: Niels for the GBA faction and Hanneke for the GBSV faction. They were both appointed as Members of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Niels Huismans
Niels was 27 when he began his role as a councillor, making him the youngest councillor at the time. He focused particularly on the social domain but was also critical of issues such as the economy and finance. His comments on budgets and policy notes reflected his meticulous reading of all documents. He often brought his experience from running his own business to the municipal council.
Hanneke Willemstein
During her 12 years as a councillor, Hanneke also served as faction leader and was a member of various council committees. She was always exceptionally well-prepared. She believed it was important for politics to be clear and accessible to all residents and for residents to be actively involved. Her interests lay primarily in culture, youth, education, and the social domain. She valued development and innovation and continued to pursue further education herself. She demonstrated that local politics is for everyone.
In total, we said farewell to six councillors. We also bid goodbye to Richard van den Berg, Guus Huijben, Bart Lauwaars, and Wim in ’t Veld. The new council will be installed on Wednesday 1 April.