Theo Westerhout

Theodorus "Theo" Johan Westerhout (born March 19, 1922 in Utrecht , province of Utrecht ; † February 3, 1987 in Vlissingen , province of Zeeland ) was a Dutch politician of the Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA), who among other things between 1965 and 1966 in Cabinet Cals was Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior. Later he was mayor of Wageningen from 1969 to 1972 and most recently from 1972 to 1985 mayor of Vlissingen.

Life

Studies, member of the second chamber and councilor

Westerhout, son of an entrepreneur and stone manufacturer, attended the municipal high school in Utrecht from 1934 to 1939 and then began studying social geography at the Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht , which he had to interrupt because of the Second World War . After the end of the war he continued his studies and after graduating from March 7, 1949 to 1956, he worked as a civil servant and acting head of the planning office of the province of Zeeland in Middelburg . During this time he also began his political involvement in local politics and was from September 1, 1953 to July 12, 1965 as a representative of the PvdA member of the local council of Middelburg. In 1955 he was in Pakistan for four months as the representative of the United Nations .

On November 6, 1956, Westerhout became a member of the Second Chamber of the States General for the first time as a candidate for the PvdA and was a member of it until July 12, 1965. At the same time he acted between December 15, 1958 and July 12, 1965 as an alderman ( Wethouder ) for community and service matters, slaughterhouse and culture of the city of Middelburg. In addition, he was from June 6, 1962 to July 12, 1965 also a member of the provincial parliament ( Provinciale Staten ) of the province of Zeeland . During this time he was also chairman of the PvdA parliamentary group in the Provinciale Staten of Zeeland from July 1962 to July 1965 .

State Secretary and Mayor

On July 12, 1965, Prime Minister Jo Cals appointed him State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior (Staatssecretaris van Binnenlandse Zaken) in his government and held this office until November 22, 1966. In this role, he was responsible for border and agglomeration matters as well as automation and appropriateness of the supervisory authorities. On December 5, 1966 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dutch Lion . As a representative of the PvDA, he was again a member of the Second Chamber of the States General between February 23, 1967 and May 1, 1969.

On May 1, 1969, Westerhout succeeded Maarten de Niet Gerritzoon as mayor of Wageningen and held this position until May 1, 1972, after which he was replaced by Jacob van Huis . He replaced Derk Roemers as mayor of Vlissingen on May 1, 1972 . He held this office until his premature resignation on December 1, 1985, after which Jaap van der Doef became his successor there.

Web links

• CV in Parlement & Politiek