Rozendaal council to dissolve after 200 years of independence

After 200 years as an independent council, Rozendaal is seeking to merge with the neighbouring Gelderland councils of Rheden and Brummen, bringing its free-standing era to an end.

The smallest council on the Dutch mainland has some 1,800 residents, and Rozendaal’s council say its independence is no longer viable both financially and organisationally.

“Continuing independently would require significant, ongoing investments in personnel, expertise and systems,” mayor Ingrid Timmer told broadcaster NOS. “We simply do not have the financial capacity for that.”

A merger appeared to be the next best option, and Rheden and Brummen were chosen as both councils are currently going through their own reorganisation process and have close ties to Rozendaal.

The mayor thinks that by merging with them sooner rather than later, Rozendaal can have equal input into the new council, although the other two councils still have to approve that.

Rozendaal Blijft

Some Rozendaal residents are dissenting, saying they feel the process is moving too quickly. They’ve launched a petition with 500 signatures so far asking the council to reconsider.

The local initiative Rozendaal Blijft – Rozendaal Stays – argues that there’s not a compelling, substantiated reason for the council to disband.

“There is no clear indication as to why a decision must be made today, rather than in a few months’ time,” said the group.

“Difficult yet responsible” choice

“The steps we have taken were consistently driven by new insights,” responded mayor Timmer, who acknowledges this was not the outcome officials had hoped for. “As early as the first phase, it became clear that we needed to look beyond the option of continuing as an independent municipality.”

Rheden and Brummen are expected to decide by the end of the year if Rozendaal will join them. Then comes the so-called Reclassification Design, with all three councils deciding, among other things, on the design and name of the new council, its services and finances.

Residents will have an opportunity to respond to the plan, with the aim of forming the new council on January 1, 2030. Early council elections are slated for November 2029.