Balanced budget solid foundation for future of Voorne aan Zee
With pride, the College of Mayor and Aldermen presented the 2026 budget to the City Council. This budget is the result of an intensive process of over a year and a half, during which the municipal finances were thoroughly examined and residents and city council were actively involved. Thanks to sharp choices and a combination of cuts and efficiency measures, a balanced budget for 2026 and beyond has been achieved.
Alderman finance, Robert van der Kooi: 'With this budget we lay a solid foundation for a financially healthy municipality in the coming years. And that while we will receive significantly less money from the state starting in 2026. We were able to limit the increase in housing costs for residents to the inflation correction. Moreover, the general reserve has not been used. With this budget, Voorne aan Zee can face the coming years with confidence.
From deficit to surplus
Municipalities will receive substantially less money from the state starting in 2026, threatening a deficit in the 2026 budget of €7.3 million. Large deficits threatened for the following years as well. The municipal executive committee received clear direction from residents and the city council and made sharp choices based on that direction. This has turned the deficits for the coming years into a realistic, structurally balanced budget with even a small surplus.
Continue to invest
As the youngest municipality in the Netherlands, we will enter our fourth year of life after the merger in 2026. In recent years, we have achieved a lot. All the policies of the former three municipalities have been renewed. At the same time, we have turned three organizations into one, ready to serve our more than 74,000 residents. We are not finished with that yet, but the foundation stands.
This solid foundation gives us the room to continue investing in our municipality despite the financial challenges. Alderman Van der Kooi: 'We are investing heavily in green maintenance, accelerated housing construction, strengthening the local economy, improving mobility and traffic safety, and we believe it is important that everyone can participate in Voorne aan Zee. This is how we continue to build a municipality where it is nice to live and work.'
City Council consideration
The 2026 budget will be considered by the General Affairs and Resources Committee on Oct. 15 and the City Council on Nov. 6. You can find the budget on our website.