Recusal and Exclusion in Objection Procedures at the Municipality of Tilburg
In objection procedures at the objection advisory committee of the municipality of Tilburg, a member may be recused if bias is suspected, on the basis of Article 7:17 Awb. This safeguards the integrity of the advisory process, specifically in Tilburg matters such as objections against parking permits or construction plans in the Spoorzone.
Grounds for Recusal in the Tilburg Context
- Personal interests: Family ties with local entrepreneurs or financial connections to Tilburg real estate projects.
- Prior statements: Previous public positions on controversial Tilburg dossiers, such as the Piushaven development.
- Appearances of bias: Behaviour during hearings in the city hall at Stadhuisplein.
Procedure at the Tilburg Objection Committee
The objector must submit the recusal request to the chairperson of the Tilburg objection advisory committee. If granted, the municipality appoints a replacement from the pool of independent advisors. The decision is irrevocable, binding and, in practice, suspends the procedure until the case is resumed in the meeting rooms of the town hall.
In Tilburg practice examples, such as recent objections regarding noise nuisance at events on Pieter Vleminghof, recusal is rare (less than 5% of the approximately 1,200 annual objections), but essential for public trust. This fits with the local implementation of good administration, as emphasized in the Tilburg administrative report 2023.