The arrival of the new provincial council last December coincided with the departure of a pair of old timers who enjoyed a huge success in the Flemish-Brabant province for many years. Jean-Pol Olbrechts and Vic Laureys effectively defended the province's activities and role. The concern that the provinces would be slimmed down or even completely abolished is a thing of the past. During the discussions about the core tasks issue, the Flemish Authorities also acknowledged that the provinces still have a contribution to make. As this level of governance is often called upon to play a coordinating or support role, people know very little about what it actually does. According to Olbrechts: ‘The future of the provinces will mainly be focused on the stewardship role it plays in addressing supra-local issues. (RK, feb 2013)