Beveren (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht, the board can decree investments up to 500,000 euros without consulting the city council.
The decision was made at the first municipal council meeting and has upset some opposition members. Steven Vervaet from Groen & Co criticised the move, labelling it as
“megalomaniac and out of date.”
However, the new policy is part of a broader strategy to make the merged municipality’s decision-making processes more streamlined, but that also raises questions about transparency and oversight.
The board of alderman in Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht now decides on investments with Euros 500,000 euros without the municipal council saying as long as the opposition agrees, but that’s not transparency and accountability in local governance, the opposition is concerned.
The mayor defends the decision as management. Under the new guidelines, all investments up to 500,000 euros fall under the category of ‘daily management’ for the merged municipality.
The financial threshold to trigger this daily management process is up to each municipal council, and the board of aldermen can make decisions without prior consultation. Koenraad De Ceuninck, a professor of local politics at Ghent University, explained that delegating decisions is necessary for operational efficiency:
“It is logical that decisions are delegated by the municipal council to the board; otherwise, it becomes unworkable.”
Setting this financial bar is a political choice, a function of local governance dynamics in each community, he added.
Mayor Marc Van de Vijver defended the decision, saying it simplifies the manner in which the council functions. In Zwijndrecht, the thresholds allowed for decisions of up to 143,000 euros per resident, he said. When they multiplied that figure by 87,000 inhabitants total for the merged municipality, they arrived at a rounded-down figure of 500,000 euros. However, De Ceuninck acknowledged that these numbers are nowhere near a maximum under the law, noting that enabling authority rests with municipalities and that number is quite high.
What Are the Implications for Governance and Accountability in Local Politics?
This decision has created a controversy over responsibility and governance within local politics in Belgium. Opponents say that sidelining the municipal council weakens democracy by obstructing public scrutiny over major financial decisions. But Mayor Van de Vijver countered the claims that opposition members were being excluded from discussions of expenditures, saying he had been collecting feedback on the proposals from all parties.
He stated,
“The opposition acts as if it is being sidelined here, but it has more than enough insight into the expenditure.”
He says council members can still raise certain investments for discussion.
Professor De Ceuninck also agreed with this by saying municipal councils have their budgets approved; they have the right to inspect expenditures. This framework ensures that important financial decisions are not made in the dark but instead under the strict eyes of a set oversights gaye. However, as cities evolve through the merger of municipalities and respond to changing demographic and administrative requirements, striking a balance between efficiency and accountability continues to be a difficult balance to achieve.
In these complexities, the implications of such decisions are not only of immediate financial management: they colour public trust in local government structures. Elected officials and their constituents will continue to engage in an ongoing dialogue that speaks to transparency and ensures that local authorities continue to be responsive to community needs while effective with the resources available.
