Aalter town council has decided to repeal the bylaw allowing checks on the housing quality of a proposed domicile in the East Flemish town prior to registration of newcomers by the local authority. Aalter’s Christian democrat mayor Pieter De Crem is responding to requests from local coalition partner N-VA (Flemish nationalist) and Flemish home minister Hilde Crevits (Christian democrat), who asked the town council to make adjustments to its procedures.
Home News
Aalter withdraws controversial regulation on house checks for newcomers
Colin Clapson
Published:
The measure involving the checking of housing quality at a proposed domicile before newcomers could be registered there sparked controversy in recent months. In March, it emerged that in Aalter particularly non-Belgians were being obliged to undergo a residency check before their registration was processed. Flemish home minister Hilde Crevits, a party colleague of Mayor De Crem, asked the municipal council to make the necessary changes.
The checks were no longer being carried out, but because the practice is illegal Ms Crevits also insisted that the regulation should disappear or be brought into line with federal law.
At Monday’s municipal council meeting, the majority parties CD&V/DU and N-VA agreed that the bylaw on the controversial residence checks would be withdrawn. As N-VA had proposed, an alternative bylaw will now be drafted and submitted to the Belgian home affairs ministry.