I treasure from Friday 19 hours to Saturday morning 4.55 am. We encourage everyone to eat well in advance municipal Council of Sint-Niklaas promises marathon to be

Sint-Niklaas municipal council of Sint-Niklaas is Friday again for a marathon session. In addition to the ordinary agenda of the municipality and OCMW council, there are this time no less than 22 (!) added agenda items: 11 from sp.a, 10 of Vlaams belang and 1 of N-VA. The 41 city council members begin best sleep on the long, night-time session. In January took the seat from 19 pm to 3.47 pm in the morning. Gemeenteraadsvoorzitter Mia Mortar (Green) estimates that this time will take longer: “I guess at 4.55 hours on Saturday”.

Nearly nine hours long, took the seat of the city council of January, from 19 hours Friday to almost 4 hours on Saturday. The city council of February, coming Friday, seems to be again a long-term, nightly session. Just like last month, there must again be tuned for a lot of nevenmandaten. There are also a few spicy items on the agenda. But what is remarkable is the number of additional points, scored 22 this time. Last month, there were ‘only’ 14. It would have been even more, but opposition parties CD&V and the LABOUR party have this time no points added to the agenda. There are 11 additional items on the agenda of sp.a, 10 of Vlaams belang and 1 of N-VA. If each added point on average 15 minutes to complete, is that Friday, a total of 5.5 hours, just for the extra points. Then, there is the regular calendar of the municipality and OCMW council. “It'll be again a very long session. A prognosis? I estimate that the Saturday morning 4.55 hours,” says Mia Mortar (Green), chairman of the city council.

“twice attendance fee"

Efficient meetings, this is not. But again, point majority and opposition, with an accusing finger at each other. According to the majority wants the opposition the sessions such a long stretch that it is not otherwise capable of more than two separate sessions for municipal and public WELFARE board, to two times the director's fees. “Nonsense”, it sounds in French Wymeersch (Flemish Interest). “We have our role to play and have the right to ask questions. But like everyone else we find it not possible that a session lasts longer than midnight.” At CD&V, no one has an extra point on the agenda. “It is better that our new members are first to act. I myself have been in the committee all questions. Nevertheless, it would be useful to have two sessions: on Friday, the city council on Monday for the public WELFARE council, at a lower commissievergoeding than. A normal gemeenteraadszitting could be 22 or 23 hours last should be,” says Jos De Meyer (CD&V).

“Excessive”

The town administration went after how much additional agenda items in the previous bestuursperiode were. “On average, there were 7 extra points in the city council, and 2 in the public WELFARE council. - There are now 22 in total, suggests that there is sought to extend the seat to them, ultimately, to split. That seems to be the ultimate goal of the opposition,” says gemeenteraadsvoorzitter Mia Mortar (Green). They went over the last few weeks after how the situation in other Flemish cities with regional services. “There is the also all on one night, but not so excessively long as in the us. They are ready for midnight. It can be so different. Presumably it also has to do with the beginning of the new bestuursperiode. Perhaps the number of questions and interventions after a few months or decrease, if there is some moderation occurs. We have decided to wait until after six months of evaluation. In march, however, there is again a consultation with all political groups. Then we will be there again. Until then, there is still one seat and that will be so very, very, very long time.”

Narrow majority

An additional difficulty for the members of N-VA, Groen and Open Vld is there in Sint-Niklaas, a very narrow majority, of 22 to 41 seats. In practice, that means that the required minimum of 21 members must be present in order to be valid meetings. From there two members of the majority to leave the room, for example, for a toilet stop or a coffee downstairs, the opposition, the seat let it suspend, which last month a couple of times it happened. Take a break in a long night is also difficult. But take a packed lunch to bring for the night? “In principle, there should not be eaten and drunk in the council chamber,” says Mia Mortar. “I would the seat have to suspend for a joint break. Last time there was a thatch making place of a council member outside. That is not the case now. It is equally suggested to have a light meal to offer at night, but that we ultimately do not. I would recommend anyone to eat well in advance. Water is always present in the room. And we will continue to see how the Friday night runs...”