Voorschoten Municipal Council Presents the 2023 Budget: Room for Additional Spending and Savings for School Facilities in the Coming Years

October 7, 2022, 2:47 p.m.

The municipal executive is presenting a structurally balanced budget for 2023 through 2025. Investments are being made for various target groups, a vibrant downtown, educational facilities, sustainability and climate, circular waste management, and quality healthcare. For 2026, however, there are still uncertainties regarding the amount of funding that will be made available by the national government. The budget therefore anticipates a deficit for 2026.

Voorschoten is currently in better financial shape than it was four years ago. To ensure that this remains the case in the future, we are identifying as many risks as possible and taking steps to address them. Examples include the tight labor market and rising inflation.

Hans van der Elst, Councilor for Finance:“We are pleased with our first budget. We have many ambitions, and there is a lot to be done. We want to ensure that, despite the challenges and uncertain times, there are sufficient reserves to handle unforeseen developments. Above all, we want our residents to be able to live comfortably in Voorschoten and for our public services to remain in good order.”

Educational Facilities

Providing adequate school facilities for the children of Voorschoten is crucial and is our top priority. In the coming years, funds will be set aside to invest in new construction projects, such as the new Fortgens School building.

Housing

It is important to focus on creating more affordable housing. Our goal is to ensure that young people in Voorschoten can continue to live here. New construction plans for schools are being combined with new housing development plans. Examples include the Fortgens School, which is being developed in conjunction with housing, and we are also considering combining housing with the Nuts School, the Emmaus School, and the cultural center.

Participation

Funding has been allocated to improve resident participation. We are working to connect the municipality’s expertise with the experience and knowledge of the community.

Culture and Sports

Culture and sports are of great social value to our village. We engage in frequent consultation with sports, cultural, social, and sustainability organizations. We would like to raise the profile of culture even further. The municipality wants to recognize athletes and cultural organizations by hosting a municipal sports night and presenting a cultural award.

Health Care and Youth

Many responsibilities related to health care and youth services fall under the municipality’s purview. If health care and/or support is needed, we work together with the social services organization Voorschoten Voor Elkaar and other agencies to ensure a prompt response.

Energy Transition

The energy transition is also affecting Voorschoten. Together with various organizations, we are providing information to Voorschoten residents on how to make their living and working environments more sustainable. Climate adaptation is also a focus. Additional funding has been allocated to develop measures to address heat stress, drought, and flooding.

Downtown

A vibrant downtown is essential for Voorschoten. That is why extra attention is being paid to developments in the downtown area. For example, based on the new downtown development vision, opportunities are being explored to create more spaces for entrepreneurs to establish their businesses.

How much will residents have to pay?

The Property Tax (OZB) will be increased only by the indexation rate (3.1%) as estimated by the CPB. The sewerage fee will remain the same. However, the waste collection fee will increase due to higher waste processing costs resulting from the sharp rise in energy prices. Circularity is the guiding principle of waste management policy.