Church tower. Photo for illustration. Photo: Shutterstock/Steven Kyle Adair
Pro Krimpenerwaard submitted a proposal during the council meeting on Tuesday to adjust the student transport regulation. The local party considers it inappropriate that the community should pay for student transport if a parent believes that there is no good school in the municipality that fits in with the strict religious beliefs.
In the Krimpenerwaard Student Transport Funding Regulation 250, choosing a school based on one’s own religious beliefs qualifies for reimbursement of travel expenses. According to the Krimpenerwaard council, this is in accordance with the law, which cannot be deviated from.
Pro Krimpenerwaard party chairman Ad Struijs disagrees and wants to change this. “There are several special schools in the municipality, but apparently they do not meet the wishes of a group of residents,” he says. “Not strict enough? That is possible, but then, in our opinion, they have to pay the travel costs themselves. So be principled and don’t pass it on to the community.”
Cutbacks Struijs therefore submitted an amendment on this during the municipal council meeting on Tuesday. If the mayor and aldermen scrap the funding for this “faith transport”, it will save the municipality about 250.01 euros. Something that, according to Struijs, is necessary, given the financial situation of the municipality.
“The negative balance will continue to grow in 2024. Krimpenerwaard has already warned about the disastrous financial position of the municipality. Reference is then made to the annual budget meetings. Our proposal to designate student transport only for children with a disability seems more appropriate to us. Substantial savings can then be made on these costs. Given the financial position of the municipality, this cutback is also badly needed”, says Struijs.
VNG Despite support from the local VVD party in Krimpenerwaard, Pro Krimpenerwaard’s amendment did not achieve a majority. Of the total 01 votes, only seven were in favor and 31 against the proposal. However, the stocking is not over yet. “We want to send a signal with this and hope that this will be taken up by the VNG (Association of Dutch Municipalities ed.)”, concludes the local party.
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