Seal centre's owner loses council support, facing €2.8m debt
The council voted against more financial support for the debt-laden World Heritage Centre in Lauwersoog, which now runs the seal rescue centre, days before the centre decides whether to file for bankruptcy.
The municipal council of Het Hogeland has rejected extra money for the Wadden Sea World Heritage Centre (WEC) in Lauwersoog. A large majority backed a D66 motion against more financial support on Wednesday evening. Only Pro voted against.
The WEC, into which the Pieterburen seal rescue centre merged, has built up a debt of about €2.8m. The centre has given itself until Friday to decide whether to file for bankruptcy. Its supervisory board put off that step by a week last week.
Pro wants the municipal executive to "make maximum efforts to keep the WEC" and to leave the door open to new financial help.
Most other parties see value in the seal rescue centre for the region but say the WEC must save itself financially. "It is still really up to the WEC to decide what needs to and will happen next," said Roelf Torringa of Gemeentebelangen. Linda Visser of Lokaal Sociaal urged the executive: "Please let go of the role of saviour of the WEC."
Henk Koopmans of the CDA said his party is fond of the seal centre and it would be a great pity if it were forced to disappear. Any way forward, he said, has to be a healthy, good one.
"There is no future without consequences for those responsible," D66 said.
It was the first time the council discussed the WEC in public. The meeting was informative, and no decisions were due to be taken.
More on climate, nature and farming · business and companies
Follow the story: Pro
WEC (Werelderfgoedcentrum Waddenzee)
The Wadden Sea World Heritage Centre is a visitor and information centre in Lauwersoog, in the municipality of Het Hogeland, focused on the Wadden Sea, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It presents the area's nature and its heritage status to the public. Because it is a publicly funded body, its financing is a recurring question for the Het Hogeland council.
Pro (Het Hogeland local party)
Pro is a local political party that holds seats in the municipal council of Het Hogeland, in the north of the Groningen province. Like other local parties, it takes positions on municipal matters such as spending and finances through votes in the council.
Lokaal Sociaal
Lokaal Sociaal is a local political party that holds seats in the municipal council of Het Hogeland. As with other local parties, it debates and votes on municipal policy and spending, and it can table questions and motions to the executive (the college van burgemeester en wethouders).