Allschwil residents’ council cancels credit for school space planning
Allschwil is growing – and tax revenues are growing with the number of residents. But this coin also has a downside: more spending.
The local parliament has removed 350,000 francs from the budget for planning preparations for the Neuallschwil school center.
Photo: Paul Menz (archive image)
The 2024 budget and the financial planning for the next five years assume increasing tax revenues for natural persons. Sounds positive for now. But the coin of Allschwil’s growth also has a downside: additional infrastructure is needed – and that costs. This is most evident in the primary school classroom.
As part of the 2024 estimate, the residents’ council should have approved an initial loan for the implementation of the school space strategy presented in November. On Tuesday evening, the local parliament unsurprisingly removed the amount of 350,000 francs for planning preparations for the Neuallschwil school center from the budget. A corresponding motion from Christian Jucker (EPP/GLP/Green Group) was accepted with 26:9 votes.
Debate on school space strategy
The decision was preceded by a debate on the local council’s school space strategy. The large audience conspicuously applauded votes that were in favor of leaving the option with four primary school locations in the running.
Along the way, almost all stakeholder groups were lost, criticized Jucker. “We have to go back to where things fell apart.” Jucker and his parliamentary group colleague Matthias Häuptli identified the critical point in May. Three variants emerged from various variants, then one variant was chosen “unmotivated and hastily”.
The local council decided on a solution with three locations in July after the client committee (municipal council and primary and music school school councils) had delegated this decision to the executive in May.
An appeal was poorly received
In a later step, the local council would have to come up with a special proposal that would attract a majority, said local councilor Franz Vogt. With the cancellation of the loan, any planning will now be made impossible. Anyone who supports this is personally responsible for the fact that an entire year is lost and the school has major problems. This appeal was poorly received. It was said that it was cheap, even an impudence.
“It is the wrong way to push through a school space strategy through the budget route,” said Häuptli. The aim is to present the decision on three or four locations to the residents’ council. A special template is needed for this. «We have a good foundation. Now it’s about taking a step back and setting a different course.”
There was also support for this from the SP. A special template creates transparency and trust, said Etienne Winter (SP). When it came to responsibility, he handed the ball back to Franz Vogt: “You and your colleagues are responsible.”
“What most people lack is transparency,” said Corinne Probst (center). Many people would welcome it if there were two variants, at least in the beginning.
The meeting continues on Thursday evening. Even then, the topic of school will dominate: The agenda includes answers to interpellations on the problem triangle of the local council, school council and school management and the decision on the school management model.
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2023-12-06 13:17:29
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