City Council dismisses Borna's 2025/26 financial plan

The city of Borna, Saxony, is currently under a budget freeze due to the city council's rejection of the double budget for the year 2025/26. This unexpected turn of events has led to severe restrictions for the city, with many services and projects put on hold.

In a departure from the usual timeline, Borna is late in deciding on its budget compared to other municipalities like Leipzig, which decided on its double budget in March. The budget freeze in Borna is a result of the city council's rejection, an action some city council members are accused of prioritising party political egotisms over the well-being of the city.

Without a city council decision on a new budget, the budget freeze will remain in effect indefinitely. This has led to a number of consequences. The promotion of sports, culture, and associations in Borna has been suspended, and the Christmas market may not take place this year. Moreover, the city is only running on savings energy, and the budget freeze has prevented the hiring of urgently needed kindergarten teachers.

Despite these challenges, the city administration and council share responsibility for the development of Borna. The budget was prepared intensively, with five readings in the finance committee, a special retreat on personnel, and a consultation in the main committee. Many citizens' objections were discussed, and their suggestions were included in the draft.

In an effort to overcome this hurdle, Mayor Oliver Urban must file an objection against the resolution to restore the city's ability to act. Meanwhile, the legal supervision has prohibited all voluntary services in Borna. However, the administration emphasises that security-relevant construction measures such as fire protection and traffic safety will continue to be implemented.

It is important to note that the Landesdirektion Sachsen has not yet approved the Leipzig budget. The budget submitted was approved without cash credits, achieved through extensive consolidation measures. The city council of Borna, consisting of AfD, Bürger für Borna, and CDU, has the majority.

The future of Borna remains uncertain amidst this budget crisis. The city council's decision to reject the budget has caused a ripple effect, affecting various aspects of life in the city. The hope is that a resolution can be found soon to alleviate the current restrictions and allow for the city to continue its development.