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The province close to home (1)

What does the Provincial Council do mean to you? A remote body full of people mainly concerned with lining their own pockets through dubious expense claims, or a democratic organ which has an impact on your area? Resource asked four Gelderland candidates who work or study at Wageningen UR why they are standing for election,…
Yvonne de Hilster

Joa Maouche, student Urban Environmental Management

Groen Links, 3rd place, lives in Renkum

Why?

I major in planning in my degree course and that is part of the province’s remit. The provincial government deals with spatial planning, agriculture, nature and environment: exactly where my interests lie. You can have an influence because the Provincial Council plays an intermediary role between the local councils, the region and national policy. And it has funding – in Gelderland the Nuon funds.

What?

GroenLinks has four seats now, so we should manage to get onto the Provincial Council. We still have to agree on the division of tasks, but I will probably be on the committee on Mobility, Innovation and Economic Affairs (MIE).

Aim?

If in four years’ time there is an alternative in Gelderland for farmers who want to expand on the regional market, and do so through quality rather than quantity, I’ll be very satisfied. I am keen to link Gelderland farmers with the regional market. That can be done if the provincial council is the link between farmers, environmental organizations and retailers, if necessary supported by a fund.

For Wageningen?

I will fight the ringroad and support the people who have proposed buying up land for nature in the Binnenveld, so they get a chance. And I want the night train, which partly thanks to us now stops at Ede-Wageningen, to be followed by a night bus to Wageningen.

Photo: Guy Ackermans

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