With a view to the new five-year local government election period, the eleven rural districts adopted the "Deepen trust, simplify administration!" demands paper at their general meeting in Stendal, Stendal district.
At the start of the new municipal election period from 2024 to 2029, the districts are facing major financial and personnel challenges that are jeopardising their ability to act locally. For example, the districts in Saxony-Anhalt will have a budget deficit of 78 million euros in 2023. This relates in particular to social expenditure with the costs of accommodation and heating (KdU) and youth welfare, which have risen by around 35 per cent. This is accompanied by a sharp rise in cash advances of 90 million euros in 2023, which corresponds to 224 euros per inhabitant (2022: 166 euros per inhabitant). The districts of Saxony-Anhalt are therefore in second-last place nationwide in the general cash credit statistics for districts. An even greater increase is forecast for 2024. This shows the dramatic underfunding, particularly at the district level.
The districts are calling on the state government to implement a policy change that respects the importance of local self-government and restores the financial and organisational conditions for local government to be able to act. In addition to adequate municipal funding and strict compliance with the obligation of connectivity, this also includes a simplification of existing administrative structures. A fundamental joint reform initiative is therefore required at municipal level together with the state, which includes reducing bureaucracy, digitising administration and structural considerations for the establishment of a two-tier administration.
The rural districts welcome the Prime Minister's proposal to set up a joint relief partnership this year to reform the administrative structures with the significant involvement of the municipal umbrella organisations.
The rural districts offer the state and the municipalities a pact of trust in order to establish a culture of trusting cooperation in the state, to limit mutual supervision and control to the necessary minimum and to avoid legal disputes in the municipal family.