One third of city and town council executives have left their jobs since the 2006 local elections, according to research by local authority magazine Binnenlands Bestuur.

A political conflict was behind 60% of the 490 resignations, the magazine said. A further 50 executives left because of health problems.
Dutch local councils are run by directly elected councillors and an executive board, made up of appointees by the ruling parties. The board takes decisions which have to be approved by councillors.