The future of Waalres Museum in Waalre is extremely uncertain, now that the municipal council has proposed stopping the subsidy. According to the Mayor and Aldermen, it is no longer responsible – at a time when the municipality has to make significant cuts – to allocate €85,000 annually for the private initiative. The bottom of the municipal treasury has been reached, according to councillor Kees Vortman.
“So it is not a matter of us not granting it to the museum, but there is simply no money. Explosive increases in costs, especially in the ‘social domain’ (WMO, (social support law) and youth care), are forcing Waalre to take tough measures. The municipal council is clear: plans that have been budgeted are being implemented.
New ambitions that have not yet been financially solidified are – at a minimum – shelved. During the so-called assessment meeting, the municipal council appeared to be quite divided about the options for continuing to support Waalres Museum financially. D66 (democrats) and AWB (Aalst Waalre interest) emphasised the social importance and would like to investigate whether there is still a ‘potential’ in the Kadernota (framework note) to preserve the cultural heritage of Waalre.
Hence the proposal to make a decision on 2 July – after the Kadernota has been discussed. The rest of the council could agree to this, but VVD (people’s party for freedom and democracy) Groen Links (green left party), ZW’14 (independent Waalre) were skeptica.
