Volt Gelderland on the road

European Week of Regions and Cities
At the end of October, Dennis Uenk and David Eissens were in Brussels for the European Week of Regions and Cities. During this week, representatives from across Europe come together to discuss the future of Europe. This year's central theme was the opportunities for young people to develop in their own region, with sufficient economic and social prospects.

David Eissens attended sessions on the economy and the situation on the EU's eastern border, among other topics. It was striking that border regions with Russia are not guided by fear, but are instead investing in their own development and future.

There was also plenty of opportunity for exchange with representatives from other EU countries, who often face similar challenges, such as housing and energy. During these pan-European meetings of Volt, you engage in conversation with Volters from other countries, such as Germany, to learn from each other, share best practices and work together on solutions that transcend national borders.

Working visit to gravel extraction site
Jan Jensma travelled to IJzendoorn for a working visit to the sand and gravel extraction site in the Willemspolder. There, the Dekker Group, a family business that has been specialised in raw-material extraction for generations, explained how extraction and nature development can go hand in hand. 

In the Netherlands, we are facing a shortage of more than 400,000 homes. A lot of building materials are needed for all these new houses, and Gelderland plays an important role in this. No less than 70% of all the clay used to make Dutch bricks comes from our province.

During the working visit, we also discussed how the province can improve the licensing process so that construction projects are not unnecessarily delayed. And how we can work together to ensure a good balance between the need for building materials and the protection of our living environment and nature.