At its meeting on 20 March 2025, the municipal council approved the municipal budget bylaws for 2025 by a majority vote. Following intensive discussions over the past few months, both within the administration and in the political committees, it has now been possible to present a proposal that is ready for approval. In the operating budget for 2025, income totalling 34 million euros is offset by expenses of 35.3 million euros. The resulting deficit of EUR 1.3 million will be covered by the municipality's reserves.
In the financial budget for 2025, payments for investment activities totalling €9.0 million are offset by receipts of €3.7 million. These funds will be used to finance the three fire engines that have already been ordered, the renovation of the cultural centre, the construction of an after-school care centre in Hennickendorf, the completion of Waldstrasse, the rainwater drainage and road construction in the Friedensstrasse area, the INTERREG project in Hennickendorf and the physics room at the primary and secondary school, as well as other small-scale measures.
Following a roll-call vote, the municipal council placed a block on the funds for the renovation of the cultural centre, which will only release the funds once the necessary federal funding is available. At the next meeting of the municipal council, the full scope of the refurbishment project will be discussed again.
Mayor Sabine Löser expressed her relief after the decision: "I am glad that we now have an approved budget. Due to the changed framework conditions, a 2% increase in the district levy in each of the last two years and the planned wage settlements for the public sector, drawing up the budget for this year was a particular challenge. I would like to thank my treasurer, Mr Nolte, for his good and trusting cooperation. In good cooperation with the political committees, who also deserve our thanks, we ultimately succeeded in drawing up an efficient budget that meets the challenges and at the same time reminds us to push ahead with consolidation measures."
Treasurer Nico Nolte adds: "Of course, it is always easier to set up a budget if sufficient funds are available. However, thanks to our reserves, we are also in a position to cope with a bad year and not immediately fall into budget uncertainty. This also characterises a sound financial policy. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the specialist departments for their willingness to compromise, which made it possible for us to submit a debatable proposal to the political bodies. Nevertheless, we must consistently consolidate the budget in the coming years and review expenditure and income in order to remain a financially efficient municipality in the long term. However, I am optimistic that we will succeed in this endeavour together with the political bodies."
Due to the financial situation, but also in view of the prioritisation of the measures and the available human resources of the administration, the following measures were not included in the medium-term financial planning of the 2025 budget. They are explicitly listed in the preliminary report of the budget in order to be included again in later budgets after reassessment:
Purchase of additional dog toilets, replacement purchase of digital radio technology for the fire brigades in all districts, investment lump sum - fire hydrants, additional emergency power generators and purchase of emergency power systems for civil protection, construction of an emergency refuelling depot, new footpath and cycle path from Alt-Rüdersdorf to Brückenstraße/ corner of Marienstraße, road renovation K6420, new road construction at the former NP supermarket, upgrading of the schoolyard at Hennickendorf primary school, Lichtenow bus stop, thorough renovation of Woltersdorfer Straße, expansion of social infrastructure - new clothing store, rainwater drainage in Altes Forsthaus street, purchase of an additional measuring column for speed monitoring, expansion of main and side paths at cemeteries.
Due to the deficit, the budget must now be approved by the local authority of the district as the supervisory authority and can only be implemented once it has been approved.