Jan Hendrik "Rob" Bats (born 1 April 1962 in Winterswijk) is a Dutch politician. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
From 2002 to 2006, he was a member of the municipal council of Meppel. During this time he was also corporate director of the Thorbecke Academy for public administration and public management. From 2007 to 2010, he was a representative for the States Deputed of the province of Drenthe.
From 1 May 2012 to 1 April 2013 he was mayor of Haren, Groningen. He resigned after investigations showed that he acted too late to control the Project X disorder that happened in the town. Previously he worked as a civil servant in Sint Maarten.
From June 2013 to January 2015 he was acting mayor of Terschelling.1 He then served as acting mayor, then mayor, of Steenwijkerland,2 becoming acting mayor of Doesburg in April 2026.3
Rob Bats studied public administration at the University of Twente. He is married and has two sons.
References
References
- "Nieuwe burgemeester in Terschelling" (in Dutch). rijksoverheid.nl. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- "Drs G.B.M. (Gerd) Leers". burgemeesters.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- "Rob Bats" (in Dutch). Gemeente Doesburg. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- (in Dutch) 'Nieuwe burgemeester Bats in mei aan de slag', Algemeen Dagblad, March 2, 2012