The effects of the corona crisis is going to decide largely the budget plans for next year in Eindhoven. The municipality is counting on substantial costs as a result of this crisis, but sees opportunity to invest.
The budget totals 938 million euros. “It is an uncertain time for residents, companies and organizations in our city. We’re trying as much as possible, as a municipality to stand together with our residents and tackle this crisis”, says city councillor Stijn Steenbakkers at the Budget presentation.
Four starting points
There are four starting points under the 2021 budget:
- Broad prosperity is the guideline.
- Focus on a financially conservative and prudent policy.
- Investing and giving substance to the ambitions of the coalition agreement.
- Investing and anticipating the long-term effects of the corona crisis.
Corona crisis
The budget, made in an exceptional time, calls for a prudent handling of the total amount of 938 million euros. Focus is also on managing the after effects of the corona crisis. “We’re trying to invest in groups of inhabitants who’re having an extra hard time because of the corona crisis,” says Steenbakkers.
The municipality is allocating almost 11 million euros in tackling poverty and debt. “We want to better help young people who leave school early”, says the councillor. “With an action group on employment, we want to help and keep people in work as much as possible.
Investments
Money related to the Geldropseweg and Mathildelaan projects is going to be made available. “This is an old promise that we now want to fulfill,” says Steenbakkers.
Furthermore, the municipality wants to invest in, among other things, climate policy. Total budget for this is 17 million euros. There’re plans to invest in sustainability, public transport and the airport area.
Living costs up
The living costs in the municipality of Eindhoven is increasing by an average of 34 euros per inhabitant per year, to 756 euros. The increase in costs is mainly due to the higher costs of waste collection.
“This is an increase of 4.7 percent. This means that they remain exactly at the average level of the forty largest municipalities in the Netherlands and the agreement we made within our coalition,” says Steenbakkers.
Consequences of the corona crisis
At the beginning of the corona crisis, the municipality set aside 15 million euros for the consequences of the corona crisis. For the moment, this seems to be enough.
Eindhoven emphasises yet again that the state must provide extra money for municipalities. They pay for all kinds of costs that they themselves have no influence on. The impact of these blows on Eindhoven is not so great, because of financial buffers created in 2018 and 2019.
Discussions in the city council
In the coming weeks, the budget will be discussed in the city council. On 10 November, the budget as a whole will be discussed in the municipal council.
Source: www.studio040.nl and Persbericht
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta, who gives ONLINE Inburgering classes.
