2:50 p.m.
The Biel municipal council is resorting to emergency law so that the city can buy a property without the consent of the people. The property Mattenstrasse 90 is urgently needed to ensure the need for school space, writes the municipal council for the reason.
In his own and final competence, he approved an expenditure of CHF 8.535 million. According to the announcement on Wednesday, the decision became necessary because the deadline for exercising the right to purchase expires at the end of May.
The voters should have decided on the deal on May 17. But the Biel municipal council canceled the ballot on Wednesday. Last week, the Federal Council cut the federal ballot box due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the case of the property purchase, there is an urgent need for action, the local council makes clear. Due to the demographic development, the city of Biel needs additional school space. In addition, the Platanes school building will soon have to be completely renovated or replaced.
As a result, an important proportion of existing school space will be temporarily lost. During the construction phase, the property on Mattenstrasse could be used to accommodate the school children from the Platanes school building.
The business should have been dealt with by the city council last week for the referendum. However, Parliament is not currently holding any meetings because of the corona crisis.
The local council is currently the only quorum for city authorities and the highest governing body in exceptional situations. The municipal council writes that he decided the emergency measure in consultation with the city council’s office.
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