Town Council Presents 2022 Budget: A Solid Foundation for a Vibrant and Attractive Village
The municipal executive is presenting a structurally balanced budget. With the launch of our own administrative organization—one that is better attuned to the needs of our residents—we are working toward our goals of creating a vibrant and attractive village. To that end, we are investing in more housing, the local economy, stronger ties with our residents, energy conservation, and sustainability. There are still major uncertainties, such as the question of how much funding we will receive from the national government to carry out our duties.
The present budget shows a surplus of €451,000 for 2022. This surplus is the result of additional central government funding—for youth care and under the May circular—as well as the package of measures the municipality itself proposes to implement to control costs. This surplus is also necessary to fulfill a number of ambitions that have not yet been—or not fully—incorporated into this budget, such as making municipal real estate more sustainable and providing space for the new organization.
Finance Alderman Marcel Cramwinckel: “We have a solid foundation with a balanced budget and the launch of the new organization, which will further build on that foundation. However, we must make cautious estimates and take uncertainties into account. We will address these by creating financial buffers. We must align our ambitions with what is feasible and focus on that.”
Cost Control for Youth and the Wmo
We want residents who truly need care to receive it. However, this is being put under pressure by ever-increasing costs in the social sector. To ensure we can still provide our residents with the best possible care tailored to their needs, we are taking measures to keep costs under control.
Building and Living
By the end of this council term, we aim to have finalized the planning for 500 to 600 housing units at the Intratuin, Starrenburg III, Segaar Arsenaal, and Huize Bijdorp sites, as well as several smaller locations. A key priority stemming from the new downtown vision, in combination with the economic agenda, is to also build housing in the downtown area for first-time homebuyers and seniors. In addition to the significant housing need among these target groups, this will also contribute to a vibrant and lively village center. We are building to suit every budget, with a target of 25% social housing and 20% mid-range rental units. In doing so, we are focusing heavily on first-time homebuyers and seniors, while also ensuring ample green space and compliance with sustainability requirements.
Voorschoten is becoming more and more sustainable
The Municipality of Voorschoten is on track to become energy-neutral by 2050. We have worked together with residents to promote sustainability. We are holding discussions regarding energy measures and green spaces in the neighborhoods. We are taking steps to ensure that our residents stay dry in the future.
This is in line with our new approach within the new organization to involve residents even more and to adopt an “outside-in” perspective.
How much will residents have to pay?
The property tax is increasing by an average of nearly 8%. This is mainly because it is no longer legally possible to levy taxes on cables and pipelines (precario rights). This change was factored in several years ago. That amounts to a difference of 1 million per year, half of which we are passing on through the property tax rates. The waste disposal fee is also increasing. This is due to the fact that we are producing more waste and that it is becoming more expensive to process it.
In conclusion
Voorschoten is a lovely village to live and work in. We want to keep Voorschoten strong and prepare it for a sustainable, forward-looking future.