There will be no requirement for savings for schools in the city of Västerås. That was the main message when leading politicians announced their budget proposal for next year. Teachers should receive their pay raises.
– We manage to ensure that we pay market salaries for those who work in preschools, says municipal commissioner Staffan Jansson (S).
Stop investments
For the first time in a very long time, the municipality is setting a budget in which income and current expenses will be evenly distributed. This means not allocating money for investment.
The plan to invest seven billion in the coming years has been halved. Several planned construction projects are postponed, such as new schools and nursing homes. This is partly due to the fact that the needs are not as great as previously thought, for example, fewer children are born than the forecast said, but mainly it is about money. If it is to be built now, the municipality must borrow money. This deceleration can cause problems later.
"If there is a rapid turnaround in the economy, there may be overcrowding in schools and preschools," says Staffan Jansson.