Randstad’s future under scrutiny

Former prime minister Wim Kok is to head a special commission set up to advise the government on the future organisational structure of the Randstad, reports the Telegraaf today. These indicate that the Randstad performs less well in terms of employment and gross regional product per inhabitant than most other European metropolitan regions. Kok was approached with the project by the home affairs ministry following discussions with the region’s four mayors and leaders of the four provinces that fall under the Randstad. The other members of the commission include the director of Schiphol airport Gerlach Cerfontaine, former Unilever chief and ‘governance csar’ Morris Tabaksblat and Yvonne van Rooy, former economic affairs minister and chair of Utrecht University.