Eindhoven’s total budget for 2025 is 1.257 billion euros. Alderperson Maes van Lanschot (finance) presented the budget to the city council on behalf of the board of mayor and alderpersons on Tuesday afternoon. “We are investing in goals that are far away, but also close by.”
The budget reserves 571 million euros for the social city, which will provide support in the areas of care and welfare, among other things. In addition, 94 million euros will be made available for housing construction and improving neighbourhoods, and 71 million for the accessibility of the city. 110 million euros has been set aside for climate-related measures.
Mobility
Alderperson Maes van Lanschot said in an explanation on Tuesday afternoon that money has been reserved in the budget for goals that are still far in the future, but also close by. “An example of something that is still far away is the 750,000 euros that we are investing extra in package two of the Mobility Master Plan.” That package runs from 2027 to 2030. The money is intended, among other things, for the construction of grade-separated intersections. “In order to implement the plans from the master plan, we have to save a lot. This is a start” says the alderperson.
Mobility is an important part of the budget. Parking rates will be increased gradually in the coming years. The inflation correction of 3.5 per cent will be followed by a first increase of 5 per cent. The proceeds will be used for further investments in mobility.
Own organisation
The municipality will also invest 4.6 million annually in its own organisation from 2025. “As the city grows, our civil service organisation is also growing. The fact that we are structurally making money available for this means that we can retain more good people for longer. That is a piece of reliability.”
Safety net
Eindhoven’s safety net remains the same as the budget in 2024. The municipality uses the calculation that the buffer is ten per cent of the total budget. Last year, it was 1.1 billion euros, which means 110 million euros as a safety net. Because the total budget for next year is almost 1.3 billion euros, an amount of 130 million euros as a safety net would be realistic. However, the safety net remains at 110 million euros, because according to the municipality, all risks add up to this amount.
Bed-bath-bread
The municipality therefore chooses to spend the extra money. For savings goals, but also to continue helping asylum seekers in the next two years whose applications have been rejected. The current cabinet intends to abolish the National Aliens Facility (bed-bath-bread). The municipality is sorting this out: “We do not want these people to end up on the streets and disappear from view.”
Beethoven
Regarding the Beethoven project, the alderperson believes it is important that Eindhoven ‘puts its money where its mouth is’. Although the lion’s share of the 2.5 billion euros is paid by the national government and the province, the municipality also contributes. “Structurally, we set aside five million euros annually for Beethoven. In total, it ultimately amounts to over a hundred million euros,” says Van Lanschot.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
