Van Dijks Official Visit to Heiloo on Merger, Cooperation, and Future

Mayor Mascha ten Bruggencate of Heiloo received the commissioner of the King at the newly opened town hall in 2024. During the visit, Van Dijk spoke with the college of mayor and aldermen (B&W), the municipal secretary, the clerk, and the municipal council.  

 
In the discussions, Van Dijk spoke about regional cooperation, housing, the reception of refugees, and the future of the municipality. The latter was central to most discussions. Van Dijk on the conversation with the college of B&W: “Given the municipal council elections next year, it is good to see that the municipality of Heiloo is taking steps to think about their governance future. My compliments for how they involve the concerns and wishes of the residents, entrepreneurs, and social organizations in this process.”

Remaining Resilient and Integrity 

After lunch with the college of B&W, Van Dijk spoke with the governance triangle (mayor, clerk, and municipal secretary). Here, resilience within municipalities was central: “The mayor, municipal secretary, and clerk play an important role in identifying the risks of criminal and non-integrity influences,” said Van Dijk. “Good screening is therefore of great importance in the lead-up to the elections, but also during the term of office we must pay attention to integrity.” 

Dynamics Between Mayors 

“Every official visit has its own special character. This also applies to the visit to Heiloo,” says Van Dijk. This time, the commissioner of the King spoke with 4 mayors from the BUCH municipalities about the governance future of the municipalities. “I am curious about the outcomes of the participation process and the other studies, but I experience the dynamics between the mayors as positive.”

Oldest History of Heiloo

After the conversation with the mayors, the group moved to the building under the recognizable green cross, namely the Culture Dome. Here, the commissioner of the King spoke with various social organizations about archaeology and the history of Heiloo. About the national monument itself, about mental health care, and entrepreneurial Heiloo.

Municipal Council 

Finally, a conversation took place between Van Dijk and members of the municipal council. Here, the governance future was also discussed, but themes such as infrastructure and housing were also addressed. Van Dijk: “In all the conversations I have had today, the question comes back: How do we maintain the core qualities of this beautiful village, not only for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but also for 10 years? My compliments to the council for the way they tackle the future exploration. That is commendable and requires courage. It takes a lot of time, in addition to all the regular council work that continues.”