Municipal News March 31, 2026

Contents of the municipal news

• Final results of municipal council elections
• Have your say on the new Arrisveld business park
• Protect the young in spring
• Modified waste collection on Easter Monday
• Participate in the Dementia Monitor
• Meeting of the General Council Committee on Thursday, April 9, 2026
• Population Registration Act
• Agenda
• Roadworks
• Official announcements
• Decisions of the Mayor and Aldermen

Final results of municipal council elections

The final results of the municipal council elections are in. The number of seats has been allocated. In the coming period, we will say goodbye to outgoing council members, the new municipal council will officially begin, a new coalition will be formed, and aldermen will be appointed.

Allocation of seats

Now that all votes have been definitively counted, it is clear how many seats each party will receive. A seat is a position on the municipal council. The more seats a party has, the greater its influence. The municipality of Winterswijk has 21 seats and thus 21 council members.

Who will become a municipal council member?

Now that it is clear how many seats each party will receive, the party decides who will fill those seats. This is often the people at the top of the candidate list. However, candidates with many preference votes can also overtake higher-ranked candidates and still secure a seat on the council.

Farewell to the old and start of the new municipal council

On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, we will say goodbye to the council members who are stepping down. On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the new municipal council will officially begin. From that moment on, all council members can participate in decisions regarding the plans for the municipality of Winterswijk.

Forming a new coalition (and opposition)

In the coming period, parties will engage in discussions. They will look at which parties can work well together and together hold more than half of the votes. This is called forming a coalition. Coalition parties make agreements about what they consider important and which plans they want to implement in the coming years. Forming a coalition can take several weeks to months. The parties that do not join the coalition form the opposition. The opposition plays an important role as a counterbalance; they monitor the coalition, critically engage, bring forward different ideas, and ensure that decisions are well-considered.

Appointment of aldermen

The parties in the new coalition will nominate candidates for alderman. The municipal council will then officially decide who will become alderman. For Winterswijk, this could be up to four aldermen. The aldermen will divide the topics among themselves, such as care, sports, or traffic. Together with the mayor, they will form the new board.

What happens in the meantime?

The municipality will continue its work as usual. Until a new coalition and a new board are in place, the current board will handle ongoing matters. Major new decisions are usually not made. Even after the new municipal council and aldermen begin, not everything will change immediately. Existing agreements often remain the same for now. New ideas and plans will be carefully discussed, planned, and gradually implemented.

More information about the results

View the results page for the number of votes per party, per candidate, and the minutes of the meeting of the central polling station.

Have your say on the new Arrisveld business park

The municipality of Winterswijk is working on plans for a new business park at Arrisveld. Based on established frameworks, a draft Area Vision has been created with 4 scenarios. These scenarios show how the area could develop and the choices involved.

You can view the scenarios and respond for 6 weeks, until May 9, 2026. You can indicate which scenario you prefer and share any points of attention, ideas, or concerns you may have.

In addition, we will hold discussions with residents, owners, neighbors, and organizations. There will also be an open meeting on Monday, April 20, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the municipal office.

On our website, the Area Vision Arrisveld page you can view the plans, read how you can respond, and register for the open meeting.

Protect the young in spring

On March 15, the breeding season began. In early spring, many animals seek a partner, build nests, and have offspring. During this period, birds and mammals are particularly vulnerable to disturbance. With the campaign “Protect the young,” we urge visitors to the countryside to give animals the peace they desperately need during this time. Therefore, we make an urgent appeal: always keep your dog on a leash in the countryside during the breeding season. This prevents young animals, such as birds, fawns, and hares, from being disturbed or endangered.

Why keeping your dog on a leash is important

Young animals see dogs as a threat. Even if your dog is small, playful, or friendly. When a dog comes too close, parent animals flee, leaving the young behind. Without parents, they often do not survive. It is also important for farmers that dogs are kept on a leash. Dog feces can contain the parasite Neospora, which can seriously sicken calves and cows.

What you can do

You can help the young animals by keeping your dog on a leash during the breeding season (March 15 – July 15) and staying on the paths. Also, do not leave dog feces in or near meadows. This way, we give the young in our municipality a good start. Would you like to let your dog run free? At the Parallelweg in Winterswijk, next to the sports and gymnastics hall, you will find a fenced dog park. All social dogs and their owners are welcome. Between sunrise and sunset, you can let your dog run free in this area with peace of mind. Your four-legged friend can also run and swim freely at the Hilgelo recreation area until May 1. For more off-leash areas, visit the page Natuurlijk te Gast on Achterhoek.nl.

Working together for a vibrant landscape

With this campaign, we aim to protect nature while ensuring that everyone can continue to enjoy the countryside. The “Protect the young” campaign is supported by Achterhoek Tourism, LTO Noord, Gelders Particulier Grondbezit, Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, and the municipalities of the Achterhoek. They work together under the banner “Natuurlijk te Gast in de Achterhoek,” an initiative to balance nature and recreation.

Modified waste collection on Easter Monday

On Easter Monday (Monday, April 6, 2026), no waste or recyclables will be collected in the municipality of Winterswijk. The containers will be emptied on a different day. The ROVA Customer Contact Center will also be closed.

• The collection of organic waste on Monday, April 6 will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Please note, this is the Saturday before Easter.

Collection may occur at a different time than you are used to. Therefore, we ask you to place your container at the curb by 7:00 AM on the day of collection.

Do you have questions?

Please contact the ROVA Customer Contact Center, phone 0543 54 54 54.

Participate in the Dementia Monitor

Do you have dementia or care for someone with dementia? Fill out the Dementia Monitor and tell us how you are doing. Alzheimer Nederland conducts this survey every 2 years. The results are used, among other things, to see what is going well in the Achterhoek and what could be improved in the support for dementia.

Participate? Fill out the online questionnaire.

Prefer a paper version? Order the paper questionnaire for free. You can return it free of charge using the enclosed return envelope. For questions, email dementiemonitor@alzheimer-nederland.nl or call 033 303 25 02.

Meeting of the General Council Committee on Thursday, April 9, 2026

You are cordially invited to attend this meeting in person; you can also follow the meeting via livestream (or watch it later).

• Date and time: Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM
• Location: Council Chamber in the town hall, Mevr. Kuipers-Rietbergplein 1
• Agenda and documents: administrative information
• Speaking: Only possible on the agenda item. Register before the meeting by emailing griffie@winterswijk.nl or calling 0543 543 543 (clerk’s office). (Speaking on a non-agenda item is only possible during council meetings)
• More information: griffie@winterswijk.nl or 0543 543 543

Intention to deregister under the Population Registration Act

Research has shown that the following individuals no longer live at the address where they are registered according to the Population Registration Act (Wet BRP). The municipal executive therefore intends to deregister these individuals. The consequence of this is that they will no longer be able to use government services (such as applying for a passport, child allowance, state pension, etc.). It is therefore of great importance to report a change of address as soon as possible. The individuals listed below have also been notified and must contact the Citizen Services team within four weeks of the date of notification by calling 0543 543 543. If these individuals do not respond within this period, they will be deregistered from the Population Register.

Agenda

Roadworks

Torenstraat

On Friday, April 3, 2026, there will be an additional market; the Torenstraat will be closed to all traffic from the Stad Münster entrance that day, and a towing regulation will apply.

Morskers Driehuisweg

Due to an event, a speed limit of 30 km/h will apply on the Morskers Driehuisweg from 5:00 PM to 9:00 AM on April 5 and 6, 2026.

Brinkeweg and Heenkamppieperweg

Due to an event, temporary traffic measures will apply on April 11 and 12, 2026. Parking will be prohibited along the Brinkeweg (between Eeltinkweg and Vreehorstweg) and along the Heenkamppieperweg (between Brinkeweg and Kotmansweg). Additionally, a speed limit of 30 km/h will apply on the Brinkeweg.

Kloetenseweg and Acacialaan

Due to redevelopment work, the Kloetenseweg and Acacialaan will be closed from Monday, March 16 to Friday, June 19, 2026.

Freule van Dorthstraat

Due to work on cables and pipelines between Parallelweg and Freule van Dorthstraat 19, the street will be temporarily and phased closed.

For more information, visit the Roadworks page.

Official announcements

The municipality of Winterswijk publishes its announcements and notifications digitally. On www.officielebekendmakingen.nl you can read all announcements and notifications. If you are 25 or older and have provided an email address in MijnOverheid, you will automatically receive an email from overheid.nl up to once a week with “Messages about your neighborhood around your home address.” You can also register for “Messages about your neighborhood around a self-selected address.” Registration is possible via www.overheid.nl/berichten-over-uw-buurt.

Official announcements can be read on the Announcements page.

Decisions of the Mayor and Aldermen

The board of mayor and aldermen meets every Tuesday to discuss policy, collaboration, and finances. The decisions made by the board can be read on the Board decisions page.