May 2026 – Meeting with City Treasurer Doris Havertz
All amounts = annual savings/additional burden. Source: HSK measures list, pages 13–34.
| No. | Measure | Amount p.a. | HSK page | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Reduction of payments to OGS providers by 50% from 2027 | 290.000 € | S. 15 | Highly critical – Massively endangers OGS quality |
| 20 | Fee increase „Open All-Day School" | 50.000–107.000 € | S. 17 | Highly critical – „Parents will be severely affected" (verbatim from administration). Risk that children will not receive the care they need. |
| 17 | Reduce subsidies – including 531840 youth promotion subsidies | 95.600 €* | S. 17 | Critical – 50% cut. Affects youth promotion, sports clubs, music and choir clubs. *Total amount, youth share not broken down individually. |
| 48 | Cancellation of RodaRock – largest youth festival in the region | 13.000 € | S. 27 | Symbolically fatal – Specialist department: „no recommendation", „known nationwide", „important unique selling point". 13.000€ savings with immense reputational damage. |
| 22 | Cancellation of Natural Acoustic Festival (NAF) | 70.000 € | S. 17 | Critical – Specialist department: „important unique selling point", „no recommendation" |
| 70 | Children's playgrounds – reduction of areas and locations | not quantified | S. 31 | Critical – approx. 10 playgrounds could be eliminated. No recommendation without playground development concept. |
| 71 | Presentation of a playground development concept | not quantified | S. 31 | Opportunity & risk – Could legitimize reductions. Must be coordinated with the youth welfare committee. |
| 8 | Waiver of outdoor pool maintenance | 430.100 €* | S. 15 | Highly critical – Outdoor pool is essential for children and youth. *Total amount for several facilities. |
| 27 | Meals at bound all-day schools – subsidy cut | 18.000 € | S. 20 | Risky – Caterers could terminate contracts, canteens close |
Urban society is aging – but the burden of consolidation falls on the young.
Sources: Average age city & over-60 share: Statistical state data NRW (IT.NRW state office) / Average age staff: HSK, p. 65 (staff analysis) / FTE increase: HSK, p. 57.
A comparison of the savings burden.
⚠️ The imbalance is glaring. Children and families bear a multiple of the savings burden – although demographic development would in any case require more young people, not fewer services for them.
Specific questions for the meeting.
Why are children's, youth and family services disproportionately burdened in the HSK, while cuts for seniors are marginal? Is there a professional justification for this?
The specialist department explicitly warns about several measures (RodaRock: „no recommendation", NAF: „important unique selling point", OGS fees: „parents will be severely affected"). Why were these warnings not heeded?
The 50% cut to OGS provider payments (290.000 €/year) takes effect from 2027. What quality losses in all-day care are expected? Are provider terminations already anticipated?
The loss of up to 10 playgrounds is on the table. Has the youth welfare committee been involved yet? When will the playground development concept be available?
The 48% FTE staff increase since 2015 mainly affects administration. Why is staff being reduced by only 2%/year, while children's services are immediately cut by 50%?
RodaRock costs the city only 13.000 € – the image value and importance for young people are immense according to the specialist department. Is this cut really unavoidable?
Outdoor pool maintenance cut – what does this mean concretely? When does closure threaten? What alternatives are there for families and youth?
Herzogenrath has 30.3% over-60-year-olds and an average age of 45.8. Do you believe that cuts affecting children and families are the right demographic strategy?
What should happen instead.
Every savings measure must be examined to see whether it disproportionately burdens children and families. If so: provide an alternative proposal.
Education and care are not „voluntary services". The 50% cut is unacceptable. Instead: pursue efficiency gains through digitalization and open source.
First adopt the playground development concept through the youth welfare committee – then decide on reductions. Not the other way around.
13.000 € for RodaRock and 70.000 € for NAF are minimal relative to the overall impact. Youth culture and the city's image are worth more. Examine alternative financing (sponsorship, ticket price increase).
The 48% staff increase over 10 years is the actual cost driver. Instead of cutting children's services: use task criticism, digitalization and natural fluctuation more consistently.
Open debate in the council: Which expenditures are truly unavoidable? The blanket cut of voluntary services without differentiation is unacceptable.
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