Coalition Agreement 2026-2030

The college of Gemert-Bakel consists of:

• Michiel van Veen (Mayor)
• Willeke van Zeeland (CDA)
• Toon Coopmans (Village Party)
• Laurens van den Berg (D66)
• Hanneke Coppens (CDA)

The college is supported by the town clerk, Fouad Kabbouti.
The portfolio distribution is included in Appendix 1.

The college works on the basis of collective responsibility and mutual collegiality. This means that the members reinforce each other, act together and bear responsibility for the overall policy.
Within the college we have short lines of communication and a transparent way of working. Decision-making is careful, but where possible also quick and practical. We strive for an administrative style that is recognizable, approachable and solution-oriented.
It is important that decisions can be implemented, which is why we test proposals on (financial) feasibility and implementation power.

We recognize the importance of cooperation within the region. As a municipality, we can solve many things ourselves, but in many cases cooperation with other municipalities is necessary or enables us to achieve more than we could alone.
Cooperation does not stop at the borders of existing regions such as the Peel region or the Eindhoven Metropolitan Region (Brainport region). Gemert-Bakel lies on the edge of the Brainport region and precisely because of this it is important to also connect outside this region. We therefore actively seek cooperation with, among others, the Northeast Brabant region and North and Central Limburg. This cooperation is important in themes such as the economy, mobility and the rural area. By looking beyond regional boundaries, we strengthen our position and seize opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.

Good cooperation between government and civil service is crucial. We work on the basis of mutual trust, a clear division of roles and respect for each other's responsibilities.
In addition, strong cooperation with the civil service organization is essential to achieving the goals set out in this coalition agreement. We invest in a robust and goal-oriented organization in which capacity, prioritization and result-oriented work are central. This will enable the organization to work effectively and energetically on concrete results for our residents.
The organization advises independently and professionally; the board weighs and decides.
In doing so, we find it important that:

• opinions are available in a timely and clear manner;
• questions from the administration are dealt with quickly and adequately;
• there is room for administrative consideration, without losing sight of feasibility.

The coalition values open and constructive cooperation with the municipal council. We inform the council in a timely manner, share dilemmas early and actively seek dialogue when major choices are made. Council members are given room to fully fulfill their framework-setting and controlling role. At the same time, the basic principle remains that the tasks and responsibilities lie with the college. The council does not step into the executive role, so that a clear and balanced division of roles is maintained.
Where possible, we work together on broadly supported decisions that contribute to
a strong and future-proof Gemert-Bakel.

Gehighlighte text: One of the ambitions of this coalition is to strengthen entrepreneurship in our municipality, without sitting in the entrepreneur's chair. One way we want to achieve this is by improving cooperation with our entrepreneurs.

That is why we are starting this administrative period with a broad survey of our entrepreneurs. We will map out what they expect from the municipality, what they think is going well and where there is room for improvement. The contact between entrepreneurs and the municipality will receive special attention. We will translate the results into a concrete improvement plan, which will be evaluated periodically with entrepreneurs and adjusted where necessary.

The structurally available € 100,000 for the innovation house will be purposefully
invest in innovation.

Together with our business associations, we evaluate the procurement
and procurement policy within the legal frameworks and improve it where necessary and possible.

To realize the ambition of more local purchasing, good interaction is needed. Entrepreneurs must know what opportunities exist, and the municipality must have insight into which entrepreneurs are eligible and want to participate. By strengthening this interaction, we prevent contracts from ending up unnecessarily outside the municipality.

We believe it is important that young people can prepare themselves properly for the labor market. Although internships are not a primary municipal task, we fulfill a connecting and stimulating role between educational institutions and entrepreneurs. Through the business account manager, we focus attention on internships and cooperation with schools in discussions with entrepreneurs. We support existing initiatives and cooperation within the triple helix of education, business and government. Together we are working on a better connection between education and the labor market. We encourage entrepreneurs to introduce young people to local companies at an early stage, for example through meet & greets and taster days. The municipality also sets a good example by offering internships and work experience placements every year. In addition, within the regional labor market strategy, we are working together with the Peel municipalities to bind secondary and higher education students to our region and to offer young talent opportunities for the future.

We strive for a balanced distribution of business sites over the various cores, whereby the regional expansion of scale requires a proportional growth of facilities and activity. The growth ambitions of our entrepreneurs require an active role of the municipality, both within the region and towards the province, so that working, living and facilities can develop together.

This also calls for a long-term vision (20 years) on space for business activity.

We will set up a regulation desk where entrepreneurs, associations, social institutions and residents can report unnecessary or impeding regulations. These can indicate why they are unnecessary and where they are obstructive (the more concrete, the better). We communicate actively about the signals received and the actions that follow.

Gehighlighte text: The ongoing plans to keep our centers attractive and livable
we will continue unabated.

In Gemert, we are working together with the BIZ on a future-proof center, with more greenery and quality of stay for visitors. The Elisabethplaats currently does not satisfy as a business card of the center and will therefore receive a thorough redevelopment with new construction.

In Bakel an MFA (Huiskamer van Bakel) will be realized and in Milheeze a new MFA de Schans will be built whereby the surrounding public space will also be attractively decorated. In addition, we are developing a vision on function change in center areas and transition zones in which the role of the hospitality industry is indispensable and for which sufficient attention must remain.

Together with the municipalities in the De Peel region, we are working on a careful and coordinated approach for labor migrants. The regional agreement framework, Arbeidsmigranten Regio de Peel 2025-2028, has been adopted for this purpose. Within this cooperation, good housing, safe working conditions and the welfare of labor migrants are central, in line with the principles of the VNG.
Employers, employment agencies and housing providers remain primarily responsible for a good living and working situation for labor migrants. The municipality monitors compliance with the agreements made and deploys supervision and enforcement where necessary. In the coming period we will further elaborate the regional agreement framework into local policy, so that clear frameworks and agreements also apply within our municipality.

Gehighlighte text: Gemert-Bakel remains committed to the agreements from The Regional Woondeal Zuidoost-Brabant and maintains this ambition. In doing so, we will continue to work according to the current method of prioritization, in which we also explicitly look at whether
plans contribute to the long-term goals in the field of housing.

At the same time, we are open to new ideas and concepts, both in the area of building and in topics such as parking, green spaces, climate adaptation and play areas. In this way, we want to use the available space as efficiently as possible. This also means that, depending on the location, building in height may be a possibility.

In addition, we strive to provide quick clarity to private individuals wherever possible. Our goal is to assess applications for building and remodeling activities in simple cases within one day and provide them with a permit.

Higlighte text: We remain committed to building enough affordable housing. The housing vision "Together at home in Gemert-Bakel" forms a good basis for this.

In the coming years, we not only want to work on sufficient housing in each core, but also build for each target group and encourage people to move on. Across the municipality, we are committed to building 75 percent affordable housing. Thirty percent of all homes built fall into the social rental category.
Demographic trends such as an aging population mean that further development of the residential care vision must be a priority. Think here of building for 55+, house splitting and in addition to steering on affordability also steering on specific target groups and new housing forms.
We continue to build in every core, so that our villages remain livable and
and future-proof.

Gehighlighte text: We conform to the Spreading Act. The municipality has already tried to comply with this in various ways. At this time we have not yet succeeded.

At the same time, we remain committed to small-scale and humane shelter, with an eye for support in society, livability in our communities and the preservation of local control. It is precisely in this way that reception can be carefully and responsibly organized, with attention to both residents and people seeking protection.

Gehighlighte text: Any development in the outlying area is an improvement of the existing situation in terms of particulate matter, odor and ammonia.

The policy for the outlying area was adopted in December 2025. With this policy we give direction to a future-proof, livable and vital outlying area, with room for development, innovation and quality of the living environment.
Part of this policy is the transition fund, with which initiatives and developments in the outlying area can be supported. There is a lot of interest in this fund, which shows that entrepreneurs and residents want to actively invest in the future of the outlying area.
The image quality plan will also be made more flexible in order to accelerate the
transition in which we pay explicit attention to improving biodiversity.

Gehighlighte text: The previously established preconditions for a dog forest will be further elaborated in order to work towards a concrete and suitable location within the municipality.

In the energy transition we keep an eye on the quality of our landscape. Therefore, in principle, we do not cooperate with large-scale solar parks on agricultural land.
For a decisive implementation of projects financed by the Area Fund Proeftuin Elsendorp, we abolish the intermediate steps to inform the council in advance and periodically about expenditures and projects. In doing so, the council's statutory framework-setting powers will be retained.

We will continue to participate in the NOVEX de Peel partnership in which we will
commitment in which economic developments are given greater priority.

Gehighlighte text: We strive for a healthy and safe living environment, focusing on both a strong agricultural sector and the health of our residents and nature. Thereby we encourage, where possible, the cultivation of food crops over ornamental cultivation and work on an action program to take concrete steps in this regard.

The current policy on crop protection will be continued. In case of residential expansion, we will therefore continue to apply a fixed spray zone of 50 meters to ensure sufficient distance between sensitive functions and agricultural activities.
We are also investigating what additional measures are possible and desirable in terms of buffer zones and protection of residential areas. To this end, we will identify locations where homes and agricultural land directly adjoin each other, so that a more targeted policy can be developed.
In further decision-making, we will follow new insights and national developments.

If research shows that additional measures are needed for the health of residents, the living environment or the future sustainability of agriculture, we as a government must also be prepared to take responsibility for this.

Higlighte text: Our historic buildings, monuments and cultural associations together form the face and identity of our municipality. The Nota Welstand en Beeldkwaliteit, adopted in 2023, remains the guiding framework. This provides clear guidance for maintaining and strengthening the quality and recognizability of our built environment in the various cores.

We attach great importance to the preservation of our mills and the associated mill biotopes. In developments in the area we take into account the open character and visibility of these important cultural-historical elements. Around mill De Volksvriend our ambition is to create an attractive place to stay with appropriate facilities that does justice to both the mill and the entrance to Gemert.
We are also investing in cultural education, both within and outside of education. We pay special attention to music, drama and heritage. We do this expressly together with local associations, local history circles and guilds, which play an important role in passing on our history, traditions and identity to new generations.

We are proud of the development of Gemert Castle and the preservation of this special heritage. With this we invest not only in our past, but also in the future of our municipality. We see a similar task in the coming years for various churches within our municipality. By giving heritage sites a new, future-proof function, we preserve their cultural-historical value and create new opportunities for meetings, recreation, tourism and the local economy. In this way we strengthen the livability and attractiveness of our municipality.

We want to preserve the Parish House in Bakel as a landmark building. A proposal will be prepared in the coming period. At this moment many options are still open.

In the past period, zoning plans have been adopted for the expansion of vacation parks in Handel, Bakel and Milheeze. Together with the development of Gemert Castle, Geopark Peelhorst and Maasvallei, this creates a strong basis to further develop tourism as an economic revenue model for our municipality.
We are committed to an attractive and recognizable recreational profile for our municipality, in which we explicitly seek the connection with the region and initiatives such as National Park De Peel. This will strengthen our position as an attractive destination for recreation, accommodation and tourism. In the further development of tourism we keep an eye on a good balance between facilities, quality and the contribution visitors make to our municipality. The tourist tax must be in proportion to what we offer as a municipality.
We also give an extra impulse to recreational bicycle paths. We invest
both in the quality and expansion of the network, so that residents and visitors can optimally enjoy our green surroundings and recreational opportunities.

Higlighte text: Vacation parks are not intended for permanent occupancy. This requires clear rules at the front and enforcement if necessary.

In addition, a plan of action will be drawn up to address illegal situations at the Kanthoeve, with specific attention to the living situation of migrant workers.

Gehighlighte text: Livable cores require strong and accessible facilities. That is why we are committed to maintaining the basic facilities in our villages. We believe it is important that each core has one or more elementary school and a community center or multifunctional accommodation (MFA) as a central meeting place.

Where possible, we actively look for linking opportunities with other social initiatives, so that facilities can reinforce each other and remain sustainable. By cleverly combining functions we create places where meeting, learning, exercise, care and social support come together.
We pay special attention to facilities in the field of care and welfare, matching the needs of our residents and aimed at a strong social basis in all cores.

The center of Milheeze is home to a concrete plant. In the coming period we will work to relocate it to improve traffic safety and livability in the village and to make additional housing construction possible.

Higlighte text: We limit the regulations for permit applications as much as possible and want to enable multi-year permits for recurring events up to a maximum of 5 years. As a municipality, we facilitate organizers with one fixed point of contact who acts as the spider in the web.

Organizers will ensure that the location used and the immediate surroundings are left clean and in their original state. As an alternative to the fireworks ban, we want to enable fireworks shows at the turn of the year as a new tradition if society comes up with such an initiative. With one central fireworks show per core as a starting point. We bring the noise standards in line with the provisions of the Events Memorandum 2021. An important condition is that end times of events are respected by organizers at all times.

The number of reports of unsafe situations in our municipality is limited. Although the number of reports is low, we believe it is important to take signals seriously. We encourage residents to actively report unsafe situations so that they come into focus and improvements can be made where necessary.

In spatial developments we explicitly take into account health, exercise, greenery, shade, water and encounters in the public space. After all, a healthy living environment contributes directly to well-being, prevention and livability.
We therefore support initiatives to replace heavily urbanized areas with greenery and will work on the further elaboration of the implementation program of the Green Structure and Policy Plan.
We will make more active use of the initiatives of Stichting Steenbreek to further shape our green ambition and to better prepare our municipality for climate change, such as heat, drought and flooding.
In addition, we will communicate more actively about the many initiatives in the field of greenery and biodiversity. Also in the context of green education.

The social domain focuses on care, welfare, work and income. Encouraging the self-reliance of our residents is paramount.
Care and support form a large part of the municipal budget. Behind this expenditure are residents who depend on appropriate help and support to participate in society. At the same time, financial sustainability is under pressure due to a growing demand for care and limited resources. This calls for choices that are not only people-oriented, but also future-proof and feasible.

We are working towards a future-proof care and support system that remains accessible, affordable and people-oriented, also in the long term. In Gemert-Bakel we believe in a strong society in which residents look out for each other and support is organized as close to home as possible.
Volunteers, informal caregivers, associations and social networks are an indispensable force in this. That is why we are committed to strong cooperation between residents, volunteer organizations, healthcare professionals and social partners.
We encourage integral and multidisciplinary cooperation, so that support is better linked to each other and residents can find the right help faster. We strive for simplicity and clarity in the access to care and support, based on the principle that residents can be helped as much as possible through one recognizable counter.
We are also bringing the healthcare landscape into better focus, so that roles, responsibilities and cooperation become clearer for residents and organizations.
Innovation and technology can help keep care accessible and future-proof. Therefore, we are exploring the possibilities of data, AI and automation to organize support smarter, catch signals earlier and relieve the burden on professionals, with continued attention to privacy, human scale and care.
In addition, we continue to work on a safe and inclusive society, with attention to preventing and signaling violence against women and femicide, among other things.

We continue to critically examine the effectiveness of policies, support and subsidies, analyze the data in our systems and written accountability by our partners. In order to use the available resources optimally for the well-being of our residents. In doing so, we consider transparency, cooperation and learning ability more important than additional bureaucracy.
We are improving the information on our municipal website and examining whether we can
supplement it with references to external resources, so that residents are better informed about what schemes are available and where they can go for help and support.

Gehighlighte text: Every child deserves the chance to grow up safe, healthy and promising. Therefore, we are committed to a strong foundation for young people, with support that is close by, accessible and appropriate.

We strengthen the cooperation between youth work, schools, general practitioners, parents and care organizations so that signals are picked up earlier and young people receive appropriate help sooner. By acting preventively, we want to prevent problems from worsening and heavy care from becoming necessary.
Mental health of young people deserves extra attention. We encourage accessible meeting places, resilience programs and cooperation between education, youth work and care. We also focus on prevention around substance use, social media, vaping, alcohol and digital pressure.
Loneliness among young people requires an active and accessible approach. Therefore, we examine how initiatives like Join Us can contribute to more connection, meeting and social resilience.

We pay special attention to young people who do not naturally connect with existing facilities. Together with young people and youth workers we give space to initiatives from their own environment, so that young people feel seen, heard and connected to their environment.
In addition, we fulfill an active role within the joint arrangements "Peelgemeenten" and "A 10 for Youth" to work together as participating municipalities on effective and appropriate care. In doing so, we look critically at the effectiveness of treatments. We are also committed to national research into the cause of rising youth care in order to take local measures to reduce the pressure on youth care. We follow the developments around the Youth Reform Agenda closely and incorporate positive outcomes into our policy as soon as possible.

Gehighlighte text: We want residents to continue living independently, healthily and pleasantly in their own environment for as long as possible. Support remains accessible for residents who need it.

We are in line with national developments within the Wmo while keeping an eye on the human scale, the availability of healthcare professionals and the long-term sustainability of the system.
Appropriate support starts with clear communication and easy access to help and regulations. Therefore, we focus on personal support, active communication and easy accessibility of facilities.
We also pay attention to major life events, such as divorce, loss and loneliness, which can have a major impact on well-being and support needs.

Gehighlighte text: We want every resident to be able to participate and experience subsistence security. Therefore, we are committed to an accessible and understandable support system that helps residents before problems grow.

We strengthen early signaling and invest in personal and active support so that residents are helped more quickly with financial worries and debt problems. We do not only look at rules and regulations, but especially at the situation behind the request for help.
We also examine the effectiveness of the poverty policy, including additional financial regulations, income limits, simplicity, findability and the effect of early signaling. New technology and data can help to support residents earlier and in a more targeted way, provided that privacy, care and the human touch always remain paramount.

Highlighted text: A strong society starts with meeting, involvement and early support. That is why we explicitly invest in prevention, social networks and facilities close to residents.

Volunteers, volunteer caregivers, associations and village initiatives play an important role in preventing loneliness, identifying problems and strengthening social connectedness. The municipality actively supports these initiatives and better connects parties. Village supporters play an important role in this as a recognizable point of contact in the neighborhood and core. They help to pick up signals early and organize support in the right place more quickly. We strengthen the cooperation between village supporters, volunteers, schools, youth work, welfare organizations and professional care.
For young and elderly people we stimulate accessible meeting places and initiatives that contribute to mental health, exercise and social connection. In addition, based on the data in our systems and written accountability from our partners, we want to gain better insight into which forms of support, from front-line to customization, actually contribute to positive results, so that we can continue to learn and improve in the interest of our residents.

Gehighlighte text: Current projects (Integral Housing Plan) will be realized as agreed. The IHP expires in 2028. We will start updating it in time, in cooperation with the educational institutions.

The construction of the Pandelaar is important to us, however, it faces serious challenges. In the relatively near future there will be clarity about how realistic this is on the current location or whether an alternative solution must be sought.

The realization of the Commanderijcollege is a large and challenging project that offers many opportunities for the municipalities but of course also has risks. Of great importance is cooperation with the parties directly involved (educational institutions, environment and developer) and active communication towards the Council. Realization must go hand in hand as much as possible with the development of a traffic-safe school route.
A new school will be added in Doornheide (duo school). This project will proceed with the ambition of opening the doors in the school year 28/29.

Gehighlighte text: Last year the multi-year low literacy plan was adopted, which we will actively follow and monitor.

An opportunity lies in recognizing people who need help with low literacy and digital skills. Therefore, we will consult with business associations, educational institutions and healthcare professionals to see how we can take further steps in this area and make support more accessible.
We are also committed to increasing media literacy, paying special attention to disinformation, online safety and awareness of social media, artificial intelligence and internet use, especially among young people. Through education and campaigns, we want to better equip residents to critically evaluate information and be digitally resilient.

The Netherlands is a country of water. We find it important that swimming is easily accessible. It will be investigated whether additional measures are necessary here whereby the responsibility remains with parents/caregivers.

Gehighlighte text: Developments in the field of energy go fast and energy security is an urgent challenge. Therefore, as a municipality, we continue to actively monitor what is going on in society and the market so that we can respond in a timely manner to new developments, innovations and opportunities.

For new housing projects, we are committed to grid-conscious construction. Right from the planning stage, we look at efficient energy use, local generation, storage and available grid capacity, so that new developments are future-proof.
We want to actively facilitate initiatives for green gas. We will therefore continue to lobby the province and other partners to make it easier to produce green gas, including at agricultural locations. We support small-scale sustainable generation and storage of energy with a positive basic attitude. This also applies to applications for energy storage and initiatives in which residents and entrepreneurs jointly generate, store and consume energy through energy communities.

Together with entrepreneurs, we are also investigating whether additional measures are needed to make business parks more resilient in terms of energy security.

Gehighlighte text: The Isolation program with local entrepreneurs is running well and we want to continue it. With this we not only stimulate sustainability, but also strengthen the local economy and craftsmanship in our municipality.

In 2023, the Roadmap for Sustainable Social Real Estate was established, with 2050 as the dot on the horizon. This includes the program Sustainability Social Real Estate, in which the ambition is established to take solid steps towards 2030 in the area of sustainability.

We are not only looking at technical measures for buildings, but also at other forms of sustainability, such as awareness, energy savings, climate adaptation, circular use of materials and greening the living environment. We also want to better support residents in making their homes or premises more sustainable. We are therefore investigating the possibility of area-specific sustainability maps on which residents can easily see which subsidies, schemes and measures are appropriate for their home and situation, including practical step-by-step plans and support.

Higlighte text: We continue to stand up for better traffic flow at the Beekse Brug. There will be a traffic square in front of the Beekse Brug, which should improve traffic flow. In addition, it will be investigated whether the construction of an access road to the N279 can contribute to further relieve the traffic pressure.

With regard to the N279 the commitment remains 2 x 2 lanes without a (long) detour at Dierdonk with a full connection for Bakel. We see the extension of the Noord-Om, with a new connection to the N279, as a valuable improvement for accessibility and traffic flow, also in light of the substantial increase in housing construction and growth of our municipality.

Gehighlighte text: There is a need to improve the public transport timetable towards Helmond, Deurne, Veghel and Boxmeer.

We want a fully-fledged bus stop at Bronlaak. This requires timely influence on the new public transport concession, in close cooperation with the De Peel region and Meierijstad, and in line with the mobility vision of the Eindhoven Metropolitan Region.

There must be a public transportation option from all villages towards Gemert.

On December 11, 2025, the municipal council adopted the Mobility Vision. Based on the bottleneck map (Mobility Vision pages 24-25), we are making a prioritization list with a package of measures with which we will work over the next four years.

One of these priorities is traffic safety at the entrance to Sportpark Molenbroek and the Samenstroom.

Through the Village Consultations, inquiries will be made as to whether and where additional charging stations may be needed.

A pilot double use will be set up. Double use of parking spaces means that the same parking spaces are used by different users at different times. This is important because parking spaces often take up a large part of public space even though they are not occupied all day.

The deployment of shared cars in Gemert-Bakel is already underway through a small-scale pilot. This
We will continue to actively monitor this pilot and, if successful, develop it further.
Where possible, we link shared mobility to new housing developments and future mobility hubs, so that residents can easily get acquainted with this form of transport as an addition to the existing mobility offering.
In addition, we are committed to increasing awareness of the existing possibilities, so that more residents know how to find the shared car and practical experience can be better utilized for follow-up choices in mobility policy.

The express bicycle lanes are heading towards implementation this period, which we consider a positive development. When redesigning roads, we want to preserve separate bicycle paths as much as possible.

Higlighte text: Following the housing accelerator, we want to introduce a road accelerator, aimed at accelerating the maintenance, renewal and improvement of roads and bicycle paths in our municipality.

The details of this are currently being investigated further. The goal is to arrive at an approach that implements necessary maintenance and quality improvement of the infrastructure faster, smarter and more integrally. Proposals arising from this will be embraced by this coalition and where possible energetically taken up.

Gehighlighte text: Risks of undermining crime in the outlying area are lurking. To reduce these risks we are actively working on the Covenant Resilient Outlying Area.

There are increasing signs of nuisance, especially in the center of Gemert. We take this seriously. In close consultation with center entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, we determine what additional measures are needed to strengthen the safety of the center.
Our BOAs play a crucial role in this. They are important for ensuring
safety, picking up signals quickly and being visibly present in the public space. This requires targeted efforts, good accessibility and a strong connection with residents and entrepreneurs.
We therefore choose explicitly for visibility on the street: less in the car, more among the people. This way we strengthen the contact with society and we can act faster and more effectively where necessary.

Higlighte text: The situation in the world is unsettled. That is no reason to panic, but it is a reason to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

Therefore, in cooperation with the municipality of Helmond, a pilot was started focused on social resilience. In Elsendorp, this pilot works on the establishment of an emergency support point in case of disasters. An emergency support point is a safe, central location in the neighborhood where residents can go during a major crisis or disaster, for example during a prolonged power outage or telecom breakdown, to get up-to-date information, pass on emergency notifications and receive initial support. It is emphatically not a shelter location, but a place that helps provide residents with quick, nearby support and clarity.

In addition, we invest in digital resilience.
We do this through, among other things, meetings on digital fraud and fake agents, and through meetings in the various cores under the heading "Knowing what to do...".
It is very important that residents are well informed about what they can do in emergencies and where they can go. We are also relocating the fire station in Gemert, and investigating the possibility of an ambulance station so that it can continue to adequately provide for the safety of residents and emergency workers in the future.

Solving problems starts with knowing what is going on. It is therefore important that residents know where they can report problems and receive active feedback on what is done with their report. The principle here is: even if we cannot help you we will still try, but no is also an answer.
This will be actively communicated.

Higlighte text: For one year now, Gemert-Bakel has had a volunteer supporter. We want to continue this role because we think it is important to be close to our volunteers and actively support them.

The volunteer supporter's task is to find out from volunteer organizations at the municipal level what obstacles they experience in their work. This will specifically look at ways to reduce the regulatory burden.
In addition, there is a need for good and accessible information on the Administrative and Supervision of Legal Entities Act (WBTR) in order for volunteer organizations to better understand its obligations and how to deal with it in practice.

Many accommodations are in need of (major) maintenance, and the required work is now largely in the picture. It is important to take firm steps in this regard and to ensure that the first accommodations are actually taken care of during this council period. This has priority.

It is also desirable to bring more structure to the planning and make clear agreements about the order in which accommodations are eligible for major maintenance. This ensures transparency and predictability for associations. At the top of the priority list are at least VV Gemert, SV De Middenpeel, Omnisportvereniging Geneneind Bakel, HC Gemert (field hockey) and GHSV (Gemert Baseball and Softball Association).

Gehighlighte text: De Eendracht was recently renovated with a ten-year horizon. What the course will be after that in terms of cultural facilities in Gemert, and possible coupling opportunities with other functions or locations, has not yet been determined.

In the coming period, therefore, a guiding framework will be developed for the future of the cultural facilities. This framework should provide direction for long-term choices and strengthen the cohesion between facilities within the municipality.

We are going to review and, where necessary, update the subsidy policy so that it better reflects current social tasks and developments.

Gehighlighte tekst: The participation ordinance will be adopted, which will define, among other things, how the right to challenge will be implemented in Gemert-Bakel. Working with fixed contact persons per village remains of great importance in this respect, as this contributes to recognizability, accessibility and continuity.

Existing initiatives in the field of participation will be expressly
involved, in order to connect to what already works well in practice.
In addition, an involved advisory group - a club of "meddlers" in the positive sense of the word - will be set up to provide the municipality with solicited and unsolicited advice on a wide range of issues.

Once every two years the municipality organizes an open day for residents, where the doors are literally open. Residents not only get a look behind the scenes of the municipal administration and organization, but are also actively informed on how they can contribute to their living environment and local democracy.

Higlighte text: We are an inclusive municipality and consider this an important principle in our actions. This will be reflected where necessary in the development and implementation of policy.

The actions from the local inclusion agenda will be implemented unabated. The local inclusion agenda is a living document, so it can be adjusted in the interim and stays in line with current developments and social issues.

Following on from the local inclusion agenda, we will follow up on the SME accessibility route. This will not only look within Gemert, but will broaden the view to the entire municipality so that accessibility and attainability are strengthened more broadly.

Gehighlighte text: The financial position of municipalities is under pressure in the coming years, partly due to national developments and the so-called "ravine years."

This makes it more difficult to make stable long-term choices. In this light, it is important to maintain the existing financial buffer of €15 million for the coming years until there is more clarity on the structural effects of the national policy (thus possibly using it to fill/bridge the "ravine"). The expected deficits towards 2028 will be actively and structurally made up, sticking to the financial frameworks established in 2021.

New investments will only be made within the "old for new" principle. Additional structural expenditures require reallocation or the release of existing resources. New initiatives with structural expenses will only be started after a financial quickscan has provided insight into the feasibility and coverage needed, this also applies to studies In the 2026 budget there is an investment ambition of 144 million. Ambition of the coalition is to realize these investments in the coming years. The current investment plans will continue to be shaped and continue unabated.

With regard to local charges, we opt for stability. In principle, the OZB will not be increased, other than a possible inflation correction. The basic principle remains that the development of costs must be manageable and explainable for our residents.

Mayor

• Crisis management and fire department
• Public order and safety
• Governance and integrity
• Civil Affairs
• Personnel & organization and services
• Markets and street trading
• Fairs and fairs
• Information facilities
• Supervision and enforcement
• Inquest
• Asylum
• Cooperation Council and College

Willeke van Zeeland

• Land matters and land exploitation
• Finance
• Taxes and fees
• Archaeology
• Nature and landscape
• Biodiversity and climate adaptation
• Recreation and tourism
• Environmental Management
• Cemeteries and crematoria
• Rural space and environment
• Cooperation Council and College

Toon Coopmans

• Municipal building management
• Procurement
• Traffic and transportation
• Economic development and promotion
• Business counter and business schemes
• Public management
• Waste
• Energy Transition
• Sports policy and accommodations
• Cooperation Council and College

Laurens van den Berg

• Culture, museums and libraries
• Cooperation and citizen participation
• Public Health
• WMO
• Youth care
• Youth protection and rehabilitation
• Income schemes
• WSW, sheltered employment and labor participation
• PGB
• Educational housing (new and renovation)
• Cooperation Council and College
• Education policy and student affairs

Hanneke Coppens

• Communication and local press
• Public transportation and mobility
• Play facilities
• Center developments incl. MFAs
• Project new building Commanderijcollege
• Cultural heritage
• Urban space and environment
• Living and building
• Cooperation Council and College
• Public Housing

Deputy Mayor