The Mayor's New Year's Eve Speech

Dear residents, entrepreneurs, representatives of associations and organisations, emergency services personnel, fellow board members, and all other associates,

A warm welcome to this New Year's Eve gathering. For the third consecutive year, we have the privilege of welcoming you to Duivenvoorde Castle, which once again looks enchanting.

2025... What a year it has been! A year in which we created many memories together, looking back with great smiles. But also a year that brought tears at times, such as during the moving commemoration of thirteen-year-old Raphaël at Voorschoten '97 football club. Or upon the passing of Martin Oppelaar, whom many of us knew as the driving force behind the preservation of Spuit 41 and the fire museum.

These days, our thoughts are especially with the families and friends who will shortly have to miss a loved one at the Christmas table.

80 years of freedom

Nationally, 2025 was dedicated to 80 years of freedom. What a wealth of activities we experienced in Voorschoten too! From the unveiling of the White Carnation bed and the veterans' monument, and the liberation concert by Exultate Deo. To the laying of the first Stolpersteine, the launch of the podcast series featuring personal stories, and the freedom lunch on the Voorstraat. Culminating in the lighting of the Liberation Flame with the runners of Voorschoten '97 athletics club.

Thanks to Hoogvliet markt, Van der Valk, the Oranjevereniging, het Wapen van Voorschoten, The British School in The Netherlands, cultural associations, sports clubs, scouting groups, schools, and everyone who helped in any way to celebrate 80 years of freedom together and keep the stories alive.

Sports

2025 was largely also a year of executing and realising plans that had been discussed for a very long time. I cannot make it more concrete than a new athletics track at Voorschoten '97. In September, the very first lap was run.

And we are pressing ahead with sports! Just consider the plans for the swimming pool and the sports hall. Or think of the multi-use track, where we will soon be able to skate in the summer and ice skate in the winter, surrounded by a climate-adaptive park.

Public space

A lot of work has also been done in public spaces. For example, major maintenance in Adegeest and in the “ centre ” near Raadhuislaan and Oranjeboomstraat. Or a little further away, with the renovation of Rosenburgh Memorial Park.

From maintenance, at least on paper, it is a small step again to new-build homes. The new homes on Professor Einsteinlaan are nearing completion, the first homes at Bijdorp have almost been delivered, and construction in Park Beresteyn has been finished.

Furthermore, the council made a decision regarding the Jan Evertsenlaan and Jan Wagtendonkstraat projects. Building for all target groups is essential to keeping our village livable in the future.

Finally, building licences are in place for Starrenburg III, and have been applied for regarding Segaar-Arsenaal and Raadhuislaan.

When thinking about public spaces, of course, also consider the development vision for the “ centre ” and the redevelopment of Treubplein. Change and investment are needed to keep our “ centre ” attractive to visitors and business owners.

Culture

Now regarding culture. What a fantastic Weekend van Voorschoten we experienced again this year. Traditionally kicked off with the presentation of the Voorschoten Awards. The evening in which many volunteers are rightfully placed in the spotlight. Where would we be without all those volunteers in our society.

The icing on the cake came the next morning. Together, we sang our brand-new village song, “Parel an de Vliet.” Huge kudos to Ine Duijnkerke for the lyrics and Rob Balfoort for the music!

The Awards and the premiere of the song took place in the Kruispuntkerk. How hard people are working to realise our cultural centre there.

You are accustomed to me saying something about the bandstand here as well. Fortunately, this year we were able to purchase a beautiful green-and-yellow tent, which will serve us in style for years to come. Thanks to the Friends of Voorschoten, the Oranjevereniging, the Horse Days committee, and the Voorschoten centre entrepreneurs who dedicated themselves to this!

Youth

From the Weekend van Voorschoten, it is a small step to the youth in our village. Imagine being 15 or 16 in this day and age and having nowhere to go on a Friday or Saturday night. We see that hanging around on the streets is increasing, while we all seem to accept it less and less. All the more reason that the youth council is brainstorming activities, such as an annual Voorschoten Festival. I hope we can put plans into action together next year.

During the Weekend van Voorschoten, I accompanied the police for two nights. Many young people on the street meeting each other. Yes, it was busy both evenings, but the atmosphere was very pleasant.

When I stood there and walked around, I asked myself the question: did I do all that much differently at that age? The honest answer is 'no'. And I think that if we are very honest, that applies to many of us. Why are we so critical of today's youth now, I then ask myself.

Street safety

What did shock me that weekend, however, were the predominantly young girls lying flat out on the street due to alcohol abuse. Where has the time gone when you looked out for each other as a group of friends? Where you ensured each other's safety on the street?

A theme that is more than topical today. Three out of four women are harassed on the street at some point. The step that this conversation is now taking place everywhere is perhaps the most important thing of all. And the realization that is dawning on many. After all, it is not normal for women to walk around with pepper spray in their jacket pockets, take detours to avoid certain locations, or use their set of keys as a small weapon.

We cannot prevent all misery. And there will always be people on the street who mean no good. As my father used to tell me: “I trust you, but I don't trust others.”

We can certainly be a little more mindful of one another and work to reduce the number of places where women feel socially unsafe. Next year, we’ll make it even easier to report unsafe locations. To that end, we’ll add a reporting feature to our “ BuitenBeter ” app. It’s a first step! In addition, we need to learn to “read” public spaces, so to speak, through the eyes of women. We need to understand why one place is perceived as socially unsafe while another is not, and take that into account when designing these spaces.

Police

Unfortunately, plenty happens in Voorschoten as well. There is no fence around our village and criminals simply do not adhere to municipal boundaries. But I dare say that we are in the fortunate position of living, working, and recreating in a municipality that we can call safe.

Together, as we stand here, we work hard on this every single day. The police are an indispensable partner in this. But above all, a partner upon whom we, as a society, can always rely. They are there for us day and night. We must not take that for granted. The pressure on our police officers is simply too high.

Thank you Sam and Dennis and your entire team for everything over the past year!

Fire department

Following this, a remark about those other heroes: our men and women of the fire department. Although they do this work voluntarily, they can end up in the exact same situations as their professional colleagues.

That is why I am grateful that, effective February 1, a PTSD regulation for the fire department will go into effect that makes no distinction between professional firefighters and volunteers. The acknowledgement of PTSD as an occupational disease for firefighters is a major step forward.

We would like to thank the safety region, as well as our own municipal council , which has been a strong advocate for this cause.

How wonderful: the new WTS-500 fire vehicle was officially put into use this year! Fire Department Voorschoten is ready.

Regional cooperation

In the region, we also cooperate in other areas. After all, we cannot do everything alone, and for you as residents and entrepreneurs, municipal boundaries often do not even exist.

It is important that we continue to seek out that cooperation, for example within Key Region Leiden. Voorschoten believes in this. We may not have the key sectors within our own municipal boundaries. But it is our residents who study, work, and bring about innovations there that are relevant to the whole of NL.

As far as I am concerned, this cooperation can only succeed if it is non-negotiable. I have said before that working together cannot be a cafeteria model. Where you check the menu every day and choose what you feel like or what suits you best. So in 2026, we will roll up our sleeves again to take the next necessary steps in our cooperation within the Leiden region, which, as far as I am concerned, is non-negotiable.

Elections

Finally, the House of Representatives elections. On October 29, we went to the ballot box. Thanks to many volunteers in our village and our administrative organization, the elections went exceptionally well. Together, they counted more than 16 thousand votes.

With a turnout of no less than 85%, I dare say that politics and democracy are alive and well in Voorschoten. All the greater is the contrast with the various attacks on democracy across the country. We see that even council meetings can no longer take place undisturbed and administrators are being threatened.

Whatever your opinion may be, wherever you stand in the political spectrum, and whichever party you vote for, we must make society work together. Democracy must never bow to a small group of people who think they can disrupt our democracy with intimidation, aggression, threats, and violence. We will never cooperate with that.

The tone and content of the political debate matter. The “ behaviour ” of political leaders influences our society. I am so proud that we continue to treat one another with respect in our council chamber on Thursday evenings.

Looking ahead to 2026

You can also view the House of Representatives elections as a dress rehearsal. Because on March 18, we’ll be heading to the polls again, this time to elect a new municipal council. This makes 2026 a year of change.

The first change has already been announced: Alderman Paul de Bruijn will be leaving us on February 1 to take on an exciting new position in Leiden. Paul, we’ll say goodbye at a later time, but I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your collegiality and all your dedication to Voorschoten.

Missed

What haven't I mentioned yet? Far too much!

We worked from home because there was a NATO summit. We appointed both a new municipal secretary and a new court clerk. We opened the first partially smoke-free patio and the first smoke-free playground. We adopted the word “freggelgrot” as a synonym for “ town hall.” And we participated in the preliminary round of the Dutch Marbles Championship.

And do you remember the “ NL ” alert in May, when there was a biogas leak at the wastewater treatment plant and we had to keep our windows and doors closed? Fortunately, more than 3,500 residents have already received our brochure about an emergency kit and an emergency plan. Thanks to the supermarkets and the library for their help in distributing it.

Conclusion

I am coming to a conclusion. Because you want to move on to the drinks and then head home.

Whether you have a Christmas wreath on your front door at home, a decorated artificial Christmas tree, a real tree from this estate, or perhaps a nativity scene complete with three wise men and a camel – I wish you wonderful holidays with family and friends. And please also keep an eye out for those people who will be grateful for a little extra help and warmth these days.

I, too, am going to seek out that warmth and coziness. In keeping with a fine tradition, with two Christmas trees, because I still put up an extra Christmas tree with my mother's Christmas decorations.

Let us make 2026 a wonderful year again together, with the 800th anniversary of this magnificent Duivenvoorde Castle as a special highlight. Thank you very much. Cheers!