Over the past year, the Eindhoven municipality has credited a plus of 48 million euros. This budget will be reinvested in greening the city centre and accelerating housing construction, among other things.
Maes van Lanschot, who oversees Eindhoven’s household budget as Alderman of finance, is satisfied. “We have been very frugal in recent years. We have looked critically at spending. That is why we can now invest,” he said while presenting the city’s annual accounts.
Not only thriftiness has resulted in a surplus. Eindhoven has also received more money from The Hague. That budget comes from various pots, including for tasks in the field of youth care and employment. Van Lanschot: “We can freely use those euros. To do more good things in the city.”
Investments
The millions will go towards greening the city centre, making municipal buildings such as community centres more energy efficient, better roads and street lighting and combating rats, among other things. Millions will also be spent to speed up housing construction and, for instance, give developers an extra push so that some housing projects will get off the ground after all.
Risks
Van Lanschot is satisfied with the household budget, but he says the municipality must remain alert. “We have to remain frugal. The tasks are so big, with the growth of the city, that we have to keep money aside.” He also points to the lurking risks that could change the favourable picture. “The war in Ukraine, high fuel prices or rapidly rising interest rates. We must try to act within those developments as best we can. The focus should be to roll up our sleeves. Not more policy and paper, but building cranes in the air.”
Save for a rainy day (‘Appeltje voor de dorst’)
The city government says it currently has good reserves for unforeseen setbacks. “There are about 100 million euros in there now. It’s an apple for thirst. We can deploy that, should it be really necessary.”
Source: Studio040.nl
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
