Waltham Abbey Town Council welcomes Dutch council for overseas visit

Members of a Dutch city council made a special visit to receive tips and advice from Waltham Abbey Town Council.

The City Council of Bodegraven-Reeuwijk a municipality in the of south of the Netherlands was created on January 1, 2011, following the merger of two former municipalities.

Mayor Christiaan van der Kamp was greeted by Waltham Abbey Town Mayor Cllr Antony Watts and other town councillors last week.

Speaking about his visit, Mayor van der Kamp said: "By visiting another country's local government, in this case the municipal council of Waltham Abbey, we learn much more than visiting a local municipality in the Netherlands because we are all alike.

"The reason why we are visiting Waltham Abbey is because we want to learn something, we want to see how it is done here and what can we do for ourselves to do things better."

The Dutch council was given a tour around the historical town, including the Abbey Church, Epping Forest District Museum and the Council chamber.

Clerks Kathryn Richmond and Hans Rijs are the duo behind the meeting of two councils, both of whom are involved with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

Bodegraven-Reeuwijk is a rural area within the Netherlands, nestled between the cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague.

The city also boasts two breweries, of which Brouwerij De Molen is the best known internationally.
Waltham Abbey Town Council clerk Kathryn Richmond said: "The town council was delighted to welcome the Dutch council to the town hall and the town and for the opportunity to learn about different local government systems and the opportunity to show off our wonderful town to our visitors."