The Municipality of Aalten Under Active Oversight Regarding Asylum Shelter: “We Are Working Hard to Set Up Shelter”

The municipal executive takes note of the ministry’s decision. The municipality will continue its dialogue with the ministry and, in the meantime, will continue to work on implementing the statutory mandate, within the framework established by the municipal council for that purpose.

Alderman Wikkerink:
"We recognize the significant pressure on asylum reception in the Netherlands and certainly feel our responsibility as a municipality to contribute to this effort. The city council has clearly stated that Aalten intends to meet the requirements of the Distribution Act. The question, therefore, is not whether we will establish reception facilities in the municipality of Aalten, but how we will do so within the framework established by the city council. We are working hard on this. At the same time, establishing shelter requires more than simply designating a location; it requires a solution that is feasible in terms of land use, technical considerations, and social impact.”

Intergovernmental Oversight and Next Steps

As part of the intergovernmental oversight process, an official meeting was held on June 17, 2026, with the Ministry of Justice and Security. During this meeting, the municipality provided an explanation of the process it has been following and the efforts it is making to fulfill the statutory requirements set forth in the Distribution Act.

Based on the progress made in creating shelter spaces, the ministry has concluded that the municipality has not (yet) met the statutory target within the first cycle of the Distribution Act. This is the reason for placing the municipality at Level 3 of intergovernmental oversight. Level 3 entails active oversight, in which the ministry and the municipality reach administrative agreements regarding further actions and deadlines.

Local Leaders

The Aalten City Council has previously stated its intention to comply with the legal requirements set forth in the Spreading Act and adopted guidelines on February 25, 2026. These guidelines stipulate, among other things, that the municipality must create 200 childcare spots and that safety, quality of life, and careful integration into the surrounding area Requirements key Requirements ; furthermore, sites designated for housing construction and sites used by associations are not eligible. This limits the available options for potential locations.

The new coalition agreement also reaffirms this approach: the municipality of Aalten intends to fulfill its legal obligation to provide asylum seeker housing and is working within the established frameworks to achieve this.

Careful implementation

Within these parameters, the municipal executive is working to identify and evaluate potential locations. In addition to spatial compatibility, practical feasibility and the impact on the surrounding area also play an important role. The available technical infrastructure is also a key factor. For example, the limited capacity of the power grid can affect the feasibility of potential locations.
The combination of these constraints makes identifying a suitable location a complex process.

Continued

The municipality of Aalten remains in discussion with the Ministry of Asylum and Migration regarding the next steps and the agreements being reached in this regard. At the same time, the municipality continues to work on finding a suitable location that meets the established criteria.

Providing childcare requires cooperation among various parties. The municipality is taking responsibility and expects other stakeholders to contribute to a solution that is feasible in practice.

The Municipality of Aalten is committed to fulfilling the requirements of the Spreading Act and is working hard toward that goal. The objective remains the same: to establish a shelter that is in line with both national responsibilities and the local situation.