Rapport de séance du 19 octobre 2023
Leudelange municipal Council meeting held on 19 October 2023
Leudelange 2023-2029: Goals and perspectives.
1. Approval of the agenda
Authorisation
2. Announcements from the College of Mayor and Aldermen
3. Declaration by the College of Mayor and Aldermen
4. Amendment of the general development plan Rue Jean Fischbach
Vote of the municipal Council
5. Amendment of the partial development plan Rue Jean Fischbach
Vote of the municipal Council
6. Approval of the statutes of an association
Handball Club Bartreng-Leideleng
7. Jugendhaus (Youth centre)
Approval of the 2022 statement
8. Approval of extension of "La Chiche House" rental agreement
Approval of an extension to the "La Chiche House" rental agreement
9. Budget amendment
Increase in the amount for budget article 3/510/606352/99001
10. Appointment of the Alderman responsible for nature “Naturschäffen“
11. Appointment of the Alderman responsible for the climate pact “Klimapaktschäffen“
12. Correspondence, questions to the College of Mayor and Aldermen
13. Appointment of a municipal delegate who exclusively represents their Municipality in a syndicate (in a closed meeting)
a) Withdrawal from one candidature as a delegate
b) Appointment of a delegate to the SIDOR syndicate
14. School commission
Appointment of two parent representatives to the municipal school commission (in closed session)
15. Nominations to the various advisory committees (in closed session)
a) Number of members
b) Vote
16. List of requests for right of first refusal
Discussion (in closed session)
Decision (in public session)
Present:
Lou Linster (Mayor), Vanessa Baldassarri (Alderwoman), Jean-Pierre Roemen (Alderman)
Patrick Calmus, Denise Copette, Nathalie Entringer, Sandrine Pompidou, (Councillors)
Marc Thill (municipal Secretary)
Not present:
Marcel Jakobs, Philippe Wilmes (Councillors)
1. Approval of the agenda
Authorisation
Item 15 of the original agenda is divided into sub-items 15 a (number of members) and 15 b (vote) as more nominations for the advisory committees were submitted than expected. All Councillors present agree to the amended agenda.
2. Announcements from the College of Mayor and Aldermen
The workshop with the residents of Rue de la Montée and the surrounding streets announced in the election programme will take place on 23 November. The future appearance of these streets in terms of car parks, planting, road surface and the possible installation of traffic lights at the Rue de la Montée/Rue de Luxembourg junction will be discussed. Work is also continuing on the "Neueröffnung Brasserie An der Eech” (Reopening of the Brasserie An der Eech) and the "Shared Space" projects.
3. Declaration by the College of Mayor and Aldermen
Mayor Lou Linster once again outlines the plans of the new College of Mayor and Aldermen for the further development of the Municipality, which were already announced in the election programme. The aim is to create a modern town with an attractive town centre, practical cycle paths and affordable housing. By doing so, the main emphasis should be on people and not on cars. With this in mind, it will be ensured that the town is not suffocated by traffic. The Council of Mayors and Aldermen is at the service of the residents of Leudelange and will always have an open ear for their concerns, promises Lou Linster.
The municipal management's action programme for the years 2023-2029 is divided into several key areas.
Shared Space: The redesign of the town centre is to be realised as it was planned in the past. The plans include the establishment of a general store, a restaurant and a pharmacy, whereby it is important for the latter to also attract doctors' offices to the town. In addition to the creation of affordable living space in the centre, which is to be achieved through the purchase of buildings, the terrace of the Brasserie An der Eech will be redesigned - an architectural firm has already been commissioned for the preliminary work. A tender was recently launched for the brasserie itself in order to find a new operator.
In addition to the measures already presented at the relevant public information meeting, further steps are planned to improve flood protection. These are currently being developed by Luxplan. As already mentioned at the beginning, streets such as Rue de la Montée are being renovated in line with requirements. Furthermore, a connection from the sewer in Domaine Op Hals will be installed. Parts of Rue du Lavoir and Rue d'Eich will also be resurfaced.
The general aim is to calm down traffic in the town. In order to achieve this, discussions will soon be held with the responsible persons of the road administration (Ponts & Chaussées) about narrowing the roads at the entrances to the town in Rue de Cessange, Rue de la Gare on Schléiwenhaff, Rue de Luxembourg and Rue d'Esch.
The Municipality is fully involved in the rapid tram "Séieren Tram" project and wants to actively drive it forward. Mayor Linster expresses the hope that the new government will also want to implement the project according to the current planning, including the redesign of the motorway junctions Leudelange/South and Leudelange/North, whereby the southern junction is to be closed to traffic and the northern junction should allow a smooth exit from the motorway.
A cycle track is to be built in the Rue de la Vallée, which will be connected to the old Zessinger Weg. In addition, a safe cycle path is to be created leading to the capital (Luxembourg-Cessange), through the Leudelange industrial zones via the junction at La Provençale. The cycle path between the town centre and the Leudelange railway station is also to be continued.
The premises of the local music band “Leidelenger Musek” which have been too small for a long time, are to be enlarged - unfortunately it is not possible to build a new building for budgetary reasons, explains Mayor Linster. A lot has already happened at the youth club in recent months: The rooms have been given a new coat of paint and damaged doors have been replaced. Although the building will have to be vacated at some point when the shared space concept is realised, the municipal management will then certainly find another satisfactory solution for the club, assures Lou Linster.
The construction of the planned care home on Geierbierg is to be launched in the near future, and the local authorities are currently discussing the fulfilment of environmental requirements with the Ministry of the Environment. A rare species of orchid was known to have colonised the area, but this is no longer the case. The Municipality will compensate for the loss in environmental terms.
The Mayor described the management of municipal finances as a major challenge, with the maintenance of municipal infrastructure in particular being a significant cost factor. It is therefore necessary to save money on ordinary expenditure so that the latter do not increase as quickly as the income. If this does not succeed, there will no longer be any scope for the realisation of extraordinary projects.
In terms of local mobility, it has been announced that the number of vel'OH stations in the Leudelange area will be increased, with a new station at Schléiwenhaff and another at Schwengsweed. As is known, the "Ruffbus" system (call a bus) announced in the election programme was recently introduced. Furthermore, new neighbourhoods with fewer cars are to be built; there will be fewer parking spaces than the usual 2 per residential unit. Residents' parking will be revised but, according to Lou Linster, will certainly not be abolished.
As far as communication with citizens is concerned, the municipal management has set itself the goal of answering citizens' enquiries as quickly as possible. A citizens' consultation with the Mayor and Aldermen is already in operation and has already been used by residents. The Municipality's digital offering is also to be expanded. In addition to the livestream recordings of municipal Council meetings and other community-related meetings that are currently being broadcast, a new website, an app and an ideas box for more citizen participation are planned.
In response to the current housing crisis, Leudelange wants to create affordable housing, particularly around the Place du Lavoir. The building regulations and PAG are therefore being adapted to compensate for the weaknesses that arose as a result of the reform a few years ago. Shared flats and other alternative forms of living will also be permitted in the future. Internal procedures relating to building permits are to be accelerated.
In the opinion of those responsible, a municipality worth living in also includes optimal accessibility for every resident to the municipal infrastructure and information for citizens. In this spirit, the College of Mayor and Aldermen wants to achieve greater accessibility through measures such as: more visible zebra crossings, a Kiss & Go system at the schools, the expansion of the "parents' corner" in the An der Eech centre, the creation of a water playground, the organisation of meetings with local companies and young people to arrange summer volunteering opportunities, the establishment of a municipal day nursery together with a neighbouring municipality, inclusive citizen communication using "easy language" and the removal of obstacles for wheelchair users, such as at the entrance to the church. Further steps towards integrating every Leudelange resident include the already functioning "Ruffbus" system, the expansion of Luxembourgish language courses and a welcome pack for new residents. In order to implement the requirements of the "Pakt vum Zesummeliewen” (pact for living together), a person will be hired together with another municipality; the costs will be borne entirely by the State. Leudelange citizens who have taken in refugees will continue to be supported by the Municipality. The aim for the future is also to name new streets after deserving women.
In future, the Municipality of Leudelange would like to support the local sports organisations even more intensively with subsidies and by communicating their events. The sports programme run jointly with Bettembourg is to be expanded; the existing storage problems for sports equipment are to be addressed by sports alderman Jean-Pierre Roemen.
According to the Mayor, the cultural programme, which had already been considerably expanded by the previous municipal leadership, will also be maintained and expanded with the active support of the cultural commission.
The local team will also work closely with the Nature Pact Commission to better signpost the field and forest paths. There are also plans to create a jogging path and a recreational zone.
There should also be many improvements in terms of safety: Further action is to be taken against the illegal car races "Am Bann". Now that Berlin cushions have already been installed there to slow down traffic, further measures are to be discussed with the road construction authorities. A meeting was held with the Grand-Ducal police to raise public awareness of road safety. Leudelange is also to be made safer through more or improved pedestrian crossings and a lighting masterplan, which should help to better illuminate the darker corners in the Municipality.
Lou Linster emphasises that the Municipality of Leudelange is by no means indifferent to future generations and stresses that the new Council of Mayors and aldermen is committed to a sustainable community. In this spirit, the guidelines of the Climate Pact are to be consistently implemented and the circular economy and photovoltaics promoted - an important step in this context is the climate aid for citizens recently approved by the municipal Council. The possibility of installing solar panels on municipal buildings is currently being examined. Existing buildings are being brought up to the latest energy standards and new buildings are being designed according to the principles of the circular economy. The municipal vehicle fleet is also to be electrified. Now that citizens can already benefit from subsidies for private charging stations, there will be additional public Chargy charging points on municipal territory.
As far as nature conservation is concerned, the proposals made by SICONA will be put into practice, says the Mayor and takes this opportunity to praise the valuable complementary work of local Councillor Nathalie Entringer. The municipal forests are managed sustainably, with the Municipality focussing more on their recreational function than on economic use. A community garden is planned for Rue Fronzel, which is expected to be ready for use from March 2025. Drinking water stations are also being installed and the community wants to join the SICA community syndicate in order to be able to use its recycling centre. In addition, a regional antenna of the recycling centre is to be erected in Leudelange.
Councillor Patrick Calmus congratulates the College of Mayor and Aldermen on this ambitious programme but notes that much depends on the financial resources available for its implementation. Mayor Linster replies that the outcome of the ongoing court cases and the programme of the governing coalition play an important role in the municipal financial situation, but that the prospects are encouraging.
Councillor Denise Copette suggests the establishment of a multi-generational house. The Mayor believes that this could perhaps be realised when the shared space concept is implemented in the town centre.
Councillor Nathalie Entringer believes that, despite the tight financial situation, every effort must be made to implement all points of the programme. Mayor Linster admits that the programme is ambitious. However, he himself is confident that it will be possible with the active help of the advisory committees.
4. Amendment of the general development plan Rue Jean Fischbach
Vote of the municipal Council
The Municipality intends to make a selective amendment to the PAG concerning a 0.09-hectare area to the west of Rue Jean Fischbach, which is currently designated as "zone spéciale 1" and is now to be reclassified as "zone des bâtiments et d'équipements publics 1 - constructible" (constructible area of buildings and public equipment 1). The aim is to create a recycling park antenna on this site. The project, which requires an amendment to both the PAG and the PAP, had already been submitted to the previous municipal Council, has since been approved by the Ministry of the Interior and is now to be finally voted on.
Councillor Nathalie Entringer enquires whether the size of the area will be sufficient for the planned recycling centre. Marc Schmit from the Municipality's technical service says that this is the case because only one local antenna of the actual recycling centre is planned, where everyday waste materials are collected.
All Councillors approve the amendment to the PAG.
5. Amendment of the partial development plan Rue Jean Fischbach
Vote of the municipal Council
The amendment to the PAP in the same context as the previous point is also approved by all local Councillors.
6. Approval of the statutes of an association
Handball Club Bartreng-Leideleng
Alderman Jean-Pierre Roemen explains the change to the statutes by the fact that the “Handball club Bartringen“ has been using the Leudelange sports hall twice a week for training purposes since September. This right of use is now to be enshrined in the club's statutes and the club will also be renamed “Handball Leideleng” in the course of next year.
In response to Councillor Denise Copette's question as to why it was taking so long to change the name, Alderman Roemen replied that they were awaiting the club's general meeting to take this step.
Both Councillor Patrick Calmus and Councillor Sandrine Pompidou enquire about the benefits of the club for Leudelange citizens. Mayor Lou Linster says that, on the one hand, the residents of Leudelange can register for training there and, on the other, the handball club is a contribution to a lively community. There is still capacity in the sports hall and it makes sense to make good use of it. In addition, experience has shown that around 100 spectators attend such championship matches, which speaks in favour of the sport's high level of acceptance.
Councillor Patrick Calmus expresses his hope that youth teams will also be formed over time.
The Statutes are approved without exception.
7. Jugendhaus (Youth centre)
Approval of the 2022 statement
The operating costs for the municipal youth centre, half of which are covered by the State, amounted to around 109,000 euros for 2022.
Councillor Patrick Calmus comments that this is money well spent. Before the youth centre was built, there were problems with vandalism in the Municipality, but not anymore. Mayor Linster agrees and is pleased that the facilities at the youth centre are being actively used.
The account statement is accepted unanimously.
8. Approval of extension of the "La Chiche House" rental agreement
Approval of an extension to the "La Chiche House" rental agreement
The Municipality bought the Steichen house four years ago with a view to redesigning the town centre. The pop-up restaurant "La Chiche House" is currently housed there. In view of the tight financial situation, it is highly unlikely that the building will be demolished during this legislative period, which is why the rental agreement with the "Chiche" will be extended for a further year for the time being.
The contract extension is accepted by all Councillors.
9. Budget amendment
Increase in the amount for budget article 3/510/606352/99001
The waste bins currently in circulation, which have recently been fitted with a chip, are being purchased from the Lamesch company by the Municipality. The corresponding budget item is therefore increased by 34,800 euros. According to municipal Secretary Marc Thill, these additional costs were noted in the regular budget because, in addition to the purchase, bins also have to be replaced on an ongoing basis, even though this is actually an extraordinary expense.
10. Appointment of the Alderman responsible for nature “Naturschäffen“
Jean-Pierre Roemen is appointed Leudelange Nature Alderman by a unanimous vote of all those present.
11. Appointment of the Alderman responsible for the climate pact “Klimapaktschäffen“
Mayor Lou Linster is also unanimously appointed Climate Pact Alderman for the Municipality.
12. Correspondence, questions to the College of Mayor and Aldermen
Councillor Patrick Calmus enquires why information is still being sent to citizens in the form of cardboard flyers. The Mayor says that although the current forms and channels of communication are being reconsidered in connection with the Municipality's new communication strategy, it has been shown that events are attended less if information is not sent by post. Therefore, there is no willingness to do without the information flyers for the time being.
Councillor Denise Copette draws attention to a possible lack of waste bins at the youth flats. Mayor Lou Linster promises that this matter will be investigated and takes the opportunity to inform the Councillors that five of the seven available youth flats are currently occupied.
Councillor Natalie Entringer would like to know whether the waste bins are already being weighed. The answer is no in that respect. Firstly, the bins are not all chipped yet and secondly, the Municipality is still applying for membership of SICA. This syndicate will then take over waste management if necessary.
A further question from Councillor Entringer concerns the bonus at the student awards ceremony, which is paid out to the students in cash as part of the ceremony. Wouldn't it be better to transfer the corresponding sums? Mayor Linster disagrees and argues that collecting the award is an additional incentive to attend the ceremony. Councillor Denise Copette agrees with this view.
13. Appointment of a municipal delegate who exclusively represents their Municipality in a syndicate (in a closed meeting)
a) Withdrawal from one candidature as a delegate
The municipal council approves to the exclusion of the public the renunciation of the candidature of Councillor Marcel Jakobs as a delegate for the intermunicipal.
b) Appointment of a delegate for the SIDOR syndicate
The municipal council appoints Mayor Lou Linster as delegate of the municipality of Leudelange to the inter-municipal syndicate SIDOR.
14. School commission
Appointment of two parent representatives to the municipal school commission (in closed session)
The municipal council appoints the exclusion of the public Mr Frédéric De Oliveira and Mrs Alessandra Montoy- Anelli as parent representatives on the School Commission.
15. Nominations to the various advisory committees (in closed session)
a) Number of members
The municipal council redefines the number of members of several advisory committees in order to achieve the following composition: Committee for Construction and Expertise 9 members, Transport Committee 7 members, Committee for Finance and Subsidies 7 members, Cultural Committee 9 members, Committee for Sport and Leisure 9 members.
b) Vote
The municipal council appoints the the exclusion of the public the members (m/f) of the various advisory advisory committees.
16. List of requests for right of first refusal
Discussion (in closed session)
Decision (in public session)
The municipal council discusses and decides to exercise its right of first refusal for one property in Rue Léon Laval and a property in Rue Rue de Luxembourg exercise.