Who makes decisions about Gistel?
Three levels of government each decide on their own topics.
Your municipality
The municipal council and the mayor and aldermen decide on matters such as streets, waste collection, sports halls, libraries and the public social welfare centre.
We do not show municipal council decisions yet: there is no open data for all municipalities yet.
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament decides on matters such as education, housing, mobility, the environment, child benefit and care.
Recently discussed
- Call for transparency on budget cuts and advertising plans at VRT
- Proposal to shift funds towards fixing dangerous Flemish cycle paths
- Proposal to postpone and review cultural budget cuts in Flanders
Federal Chamber
The Chamber decides on matters such as pensions, taxes, justice, the police, defence and health insurance.
Recently discussed
- Proposal for a national pact to improve disease prevention
- Proposal to recognize the Tibetan government-in-exile and impose sanctions
- Bill to recognise and compensate pesticide-related occupational illnesses
What did the municipal council decide?
The items the municipal council dealt with in recent months. Items about individuals (staff, permits, councillors’ questions…) are shown without details.
Meeting of 3 September 2026
- Intergemeentelijke samenwerking / Perspectief / Samenwerkingsovereenkomst opname regierol sociale economie 2026 - 2029 / Goedkeuring
- Notulen van de gemeenteraadszitting d.d. 2 juli 2026 / Goedkeuring
- Question or interpellation from a councillor
- Intergemeentelijke samenwerking / Woonpunt / Rekening 2025 / Goedkeuring
- Beleidsrapportering / Eerste semester 2026 / Aktename
- Purchase, sale or rental of land or a building
- Question or interpellation from a councillor
- Welzijn en samenleven / Woonsprong / Aanpassing toewijzingsreglement / Goedkeuring
- Onderwijs / Schoolreglement Gemeenteschool De Horizon / Hervaststelling / Goedkeuring
Source: Lokaal Beslist (Flemish government), published by the municipality.
How does Gistel handle money?
From the 2024 annual accounts of the municipality and the public social welfare centre combined. Amounts per inhabitant, so you can compare municipalities.
Revenue
€ 2,200 per inhabitant
taxes, money from higher authorities, charges…
23% less than the Flemish average
Spending
€ 2,735 per inhabitant
day-to-day running and investments
6% less than the Flemish average
Debt
€ 908 per inhabitant
what the municipality still has to repay on its loans
28% less than the Flemish average
Does the municipality have money left over? Yes: after day-to-day running costs and repaying loans, € 361 per inhabitant was left to invest.
What did Gistel spend the most on?
Breakdown of spending on day-to-day running (excluding investments).
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Governance and administration the town hall, staff, service desks and buildings 34%
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Care and social assistance Public social welfare centre, childcare, care for older people and help for people in poverty 18%
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Culture, sport and leisure library, sports hall, cultural centre and youth work 11%
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Police and fire service the contribution to the police zone and the emergency services zone 11%
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Schools and education municipal schools, school buildings and academies 8%
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Housing and building building permits, social housing and neighbourhoods 8%
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Waste, nature and environment waste collection, sewers, parks and green spaces 7%
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Loans and finances interest on loans and collecting taxes 2%
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Business and employment markets, local economy and employment 1%
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Roads and mobility streets, pavements, cycle paths and parking 1%
In 2014 the municipality spent € 1,566 per inhabitant; in 2024, € 2,735 (in euros of that year, not adjusted for inflation).
Source: Flemish Agency for Home Affairs, Gemeente- en Stadsmonitor (BBC-DR). Your municipality's budget and multi-year plan can be found in the BBC-beleidstool.
Subsidies for organisations from Gistel
In 2025, 69 organisations from Gistel received a total of € 15.6 million in subsidies.
The municipal administration itself often also receives subsidies from higher levels of government. Self-employed people and other individuals are not counted here.
Who received the most?
- ARCADE € 7,914,081
- STAD GISTEL € 5,633,859
- OPENBAAR CENTRUM VOOR MAATSCHAPPELIJK WELZIJN VAN GISTEL € 910,487
- LITHOBETON € 503,593
- SUMMA € 378,076
Work contracted out by public bodies in Gistel
These are the larger public contracts of public bodies with their address in this municipality: the municipality itself, but also, for example, a hospital, a school or a ministry.
We have not found any large public contracts from public bodies in this municipality yet.
Companies from Gistel that won government work
In 2026, companies and organisations from Gistel won 5 public contracts across Belgium.
- VANSTEENKISTE INFRA 2 contracts
- QSALT 2 contracts
- CUP CONCEPT BELGIUM 1 contract
What is not here yet?
- The decisions of your municipal council.
- Smaller public contracts, below the European thresholds.