Capelle honors 17 departing councillors for years of public service
Capelle aan den IJssel bids farewell to 17 councillors and citizen representatives after a challenging 2022–2026 term. Four received Royal Honours for their outstanding contributions to local governance, housing, and social initiatives, marking the end of an era for the municipality.
| Key Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Capelle aan den IJssel |
| Term | 2022–2026 |
| Departing Councillors | 17 |
| Honoured with Royal Awards | Arwin van Buuren (SGP), Peter Eilander (CU), Bas van Loef (VVD), Marita Pengel (Wij Kleurrijk Capelle) |
| Longest-Serving Councillor | Arwin van Buuren (16 years, SGP) |
| Key Challenges (2022–2026) | Rivium development, housing shortage, asylum seeker accommodation, financial cutbacks |
| Citizen Councillors | Multiple departing, some returning in new roles |
| Mayor | Joost Manusama |
The Capelle Municipal Council plays a crucial role in local governance, overseeing urban development, social policies, and financial management. It ensures citizen representation and accountability, directly impacting daily life in the municipality through legislative and administrative decisions.
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Capelle Municipal Council bids farewell to councillors
During the final council meeting of the 2022–2026 term, the Capelle Municipal Council on Monday evening said goodbye to 17 departing councillors and several citizen councillors. The mayor personally addressed all departing councillors.
Arwin van Buuren (SGP), Peter Eilander (CU), Bas van Loef (VVD) and Marita Pengel (Wij Kleurrijk Capelle) received Royal Honours in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Capelle society. They were appointed as members of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Arwin van Buuren
holds the record for the longest-serving councillor in the current council, having served continuously on the Capelle Municipal Council for 16 years for the SGP. He began his political career in 1998 as an intern with the SGP faction, later becoming a faction employee, then a citizen councillor, and finally a councillor in 2010. He earned his doctorate in 2006 and was appointed as a special professor of public administration in 2017. For the past eight years, he has also served as deputy council chair.
Peter Eilander
has been a continuous member of the Municipal Council since 2014 for the Christian Union. For many years, he served as a committee chair, most recently for the Urban Development and Management Committee. He also chaired the Environmental and Planning Act working group and was a member of the board of Hitland and the audit committee. Eilander was known for his conscientious and dedicated approach.
Bas van Loef
served as a councillor from 2010 to 2022, switching factions during his tenure. In 2025, he returned to the council for the VVD after a brief break. His expertise lay in housing, urban development, traffic and safety. Van Loef was highly regarded as a collegial, communicative and pragmatic representative.
Marita Pengel
returned to the Municipal Council in 2022 after an eight-year absence. She advocated for greater visibility of the city’s slavery history in the town hall and annually highlighted the celebration of Keti Koti, a commemoration that has since become a tradition in Capelle. She also held roles on the trust and employer committees.
Mayor Joost Manusama: “These four councillors have made an exceptional contribution year after year and have worked tirelessly for Capelle society. It is an honour that His Majesty the King has recognised and acknowledged their efforts. On behalf of the entire Municipal Council, the executive board and the municipality of Capelle, I express my pride and congratulations.”
Other departing councillors
In addition to the four honoured councillors, the following councillors also took their leave (in alphabetical order):
- Lisette Feuth (D66)
- Joram Frieser (Fractie van der Heide)
- Jasper Hooijkaas (D66)
- Mark de Jong (VVD)
- Jeroen Kolster (VVD)
- Eddy Patty (Fractie Van der Heide)
- Vera Raaijen (PvdA)
- Sienna Roos (GroenLinks)
- Sherwin Safavi Nic (VVD)
- Gerrit Spruit (Leefbaar Capelle)
- Joost Stegeman (D66)
- Willem Vervat (Leefbaar Capelle)
- Willem Vlot (Fractie Vlot)
Mayor Joost Manusama: “These councillors have worked tirelessly for the people of Capelle over the past years. Their dedication deserves great appreciation. I am pleased to have been able to thank them in person this evening for their sometimes years of service.”
Farewell to citizen councillors
In addition to the councillors, the citizen councillors of the 2022–2026 term also took their leave. Citizen councillors play an indispensable role in the council: they represent their factions in committees and working groups and are often the public face of local politics for many Capelle residents. Some of them will return as councillors or newly appointed citizen councillors in the next term.
Reflection on the 2022–2026 council term
The 2022–2026 council term was marked by major challenges for the city: the development of Rivium, tackling the housing shortage, accommodating asylum seekers, Ukrainians and status holders, and significant financial cutbacks. The council worked alongside three mayors, three municipal secretaries and ten aldermen.