Heading to Perwez in Walloon Brabant to meet mayor Jordan Godfriaux.
As a livestock farmer, he splits his time between the family farm and his role as mayor, leading a list bringing together liberals, ecologists and engaged citizens.
Jordan, your first term was far from easy with the successive crises: how do you look back on this mandate?
My first term has been intense and required managing three things at once:
- Delivering our projects to improve the wellbeing of residents and staff members.
- Managing external crises such as Covid, the war in Ukraine, energy challenges and inflation.
- Restoring order in the municipality, both in its finances and its water network.
My strength is my team!
You won the mayoral office against a well-known figure: André Antoine. What made the difference, in your view?
I would cite at least three reasons: bringing together a team working in a pleasant and respectful atmosphere. Ensuring a regular presence on the ground and thorough command of the files. And replacing promises with actions based on listening and citizen participation.
If you had to pick one flagship project that will mark your local legacy, which one would it be?
I'm not trying to make my mark with a single flagship project, but rather to honour our commitments.
My team has put local finances back in order by building up a reserve of €10,000,000 to face the future calmly, without raising local taxes for the 9,600 residents of Perwez.
My team has looked after staff by introducing meal vouchers and a second pension pillar, and by investing in a wellness space.
My team has invested in sport, culture, education, the climate challenge and mobility, while preserving the rural, green character of our area and keeping the employment rate at its highest level.
You're also a pig farmer: how do you assess the current farming struggle, and how can local elected representatives act, in your view?
As a former President of the young Walloon farmers, I naturally share their concerns, such as the need to guarantee farmers an income, reduce their administrative burden, or limit the piling up of regulations.
Local elected representatives have many levers to support the farming sector:
- analysis and understanding when handling a permit application
- promoting local produce at a fair price via a vending machine, a communal kitchen or promotional campaigns
- mobilising public land through farm leases for the benefit of family farms and young people
- educating and informing tomorrow's consumers via municipal education or culture
- ...the list is too long to fully develop here...
Finally, a tourism question for our readers: if you had to encourage us to visit Perwez, what would you say?
Located in the south-east of Walloon Brabant, in the heart of Hesbaye, the municipality of Perwez brings together five rural villages. Farming and nature therefore take up a large share of the land, allowing many local products to be enjoyed at the farm or from our local shops and restaurants. Whether you're passionate about nature (the “Pré du Duc” and Creaves nature reserves), history (the 40-45 Remembrance Museum) or architecture (square farmhouses, church/chapels), you can recharge with a walk, bike ride or horse ride.