Rapport de séance du 28 novembre 2024
Meeting of the Leudelange Municipal Council held on 28 November 2024
Adoption of a new waste management regulation
Agenda:
1. Approval of the agenda
The agenda is approved with amendments, in particular the vote on the updated version of the European Charter for Gender Equality (item 12).
2 Communications from the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
Mayor Lou Linster reports on a number of projects, including the renovation of the town centre, the roofing of the pétanque court and the restoration of the church roof.
3. SICONA South-West: approval of the 2025 action plan
Fernand Klopp presents the plan, highlighting the restoration of watercourses, the installation of protection for fruit trees and the creation of a pond. The estimated cost to the Municipality is € 209,000. The plan is unanimously approved.
4. Deliberations within the framework of the Nature Pact
Presentation of two initiatives:
a) Creation of a community garden where residents can garden collectively.
b) Leudelange's membership of the COPIL Lias Alzette inter-municipal steering committee. The proposals are accepted.
5. Regulation on waste management costs
Adopted with a moderate increase in costs, introducing an annual base of € 180 per household and weight-based charges and waste collection from April 2025. Support measures are provided for families with young children or special needs.
6. Tariff regulations for the “An der Eech” and “Faarwekëscht” underground car parks
Approved.
7. Flood protection installations
Approval of agreements relating to the Heirens, Gansen and Reimen sites.
8. Preliminary draft Grand-Ducal Regulation: “Forêt de Leudelange/Obeler Bësch” protected area
The Council gives its opinion.
9. Construction application: Project 129A Rue de la Gare
Examined.
10. Approval of a notarised deed: acquisition of a parcel of land 842/8179
Approved.
11. Amendment to a road traffic regulation: Rue de la Montée, maximum parking time
Approved.
12 European Charter for Gender Equality
Approved in the updated version.
13. Municipal Consultative Committees (in closed session)
Treatment of resignations and appointments in Committees.
14. Correspondence and questions to the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
15. Staff matters (in closed session)
Setting the remuneration of a municipal employee holding a master’s degree/diploma.
16. List of applications for a right of pre-emption
a) Discussion in closed session.
b) Decision in public session.
Present :
Lou Linster (Mayor), Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri and Jean-Pierre Roemen (Aldermen), Patrick Calmus, Nathalie Entringer, Marcel Jakobs, Sandrine Pompidou (Councillors), Marc Thill (Municipal Secretary).
Absent but excused: Philippe Wilmes, Denise Conrardy-Copette.
1. Approval of the agenda
Approved
Mayor Lou Linster opens the meeting by announcing that two items on the original agenda would be deleted and that item 12 would be voted on, not just an addition, but the entire updated European Equality Charter.
All the Councillors accept the amended agenda.
2. Announcements from the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
The Mayor then mentions a number of forthcoming events, including the presentation of the preliminary project for the redevelopment of the town centre, which will take place on 29 January 2025 at the “An der Eech” community centre. The Mayor goes on to say that the roof of the pétanque court has been completed and that the lighting will be installed shortly. A path will also be created near the courts. Renovation work on the church roof has also been completed, but repairs to the roof beams in the sacristy are now also planned.
3. SICONA South-West: approval of the 2025 action plan
Fernand Klopp from SICONA then informs the Municipal Councillors about the 2025 nature conservation action plan. He begins by talking about the “Kleng Gewännchen” private property, where the owner planted fruit trees years ago. SICONA has restored the stream there and also created a pond, creating a strip of wetland which can no longer be mown in the traditional way. For this reason, an itinerant shepherd commissioned by the association will carry out the mowing work with his flock. To protect the fruit trees from being nibbled by sheep and other animals, 44 trunk protection systems are being used. In addition to the existing pond, another is to be added, which will cover around 9 to 10 ares, and the Ministry will also fund the creation of this pond.
The redevelopment of the “Baklesweieren” biotope, Fernand Klopp continues, has finally commenced, now that the necessary permits have been granted by the water and nature authorities.
Another project initiated by the community leaders is the redevelopment of the footpath in the “Am Bann” business park. To improve accessibility, the existing steps are to be replaced by a small bridge. Having moved away from the wooden bridge concept for certification reasons, consideration is now being given to a galvanised metal installation.
Also in the “Am Bann” business park, a pond next to the “LALUX” and “Peintures Robin” buildings, which is now silted up, is being restored, enlarged and equipped with a dam.
Fernand Klopp goes on to talk about the various nature conservation measures carried out by SICONA for the Municipality of Leudelange every year. These include the installation of nest boxes for barn owls and artificial nests for swallows and swifts, practical training in natural landscaping for the Municipality’s gardening team and the “Aktioun Päiperléck”, where citizens receive perennial plants free of charge.
The expected financial outlay for the measures in the 2025 action catalogue will cost the Municipality around € 209,000.
Asked by Councillor Patrick Calmus about the route of the proposed bridge, the response was that the structure would have a slight bend to the right to allow users to use a ramp to negotiate the slight gradient at this point.
The planned pond near LaLux and Peintures Robin is quite limited, explains Marcel Jakobs. If building work were to take place next to the property, the pond would no longer be supplied with water. If the bottom of the pond is dense, explains Fernand Klopp, it will receive sufficient rainwater. This will be checked before the project is implemented and sealed if necessary.
The SICONA 2025 Action Plan for the Municipality of Leudelange is unanimously approved.
4. Proposals within the framework of the Nature Pact
a) COPIL Committee Director
b) Community garden
Councillor Nathalie Entringer has informed her Council colleagues of the municipal community garden project. In future, the Municipality will provide interested citizens with a specially landscaped area where they can pursue their gardening hobbies together. We are currently working on giving the project an official form. The most important thing, says Councillor Entringer, is the “community” principle, which is why everyone involved is encouraged to negotiate the rules which apply on the site amongst themselves.
Councillor Entringer's second suggestion concerns Leudelange's membership of the Lias Alzette steering committee, which is about to be set up. In this committee, municipal authorities will work together at inter-municipal level to promote nature conservation.
Councillor Marcel Jakobs asks about the location of the community garden. Mayor Lou Linster replies that it would be located on a 4-hectare site next to the “Schaefert” playground.
All the Councillors agree to the two proposals.
5. Regulation on waste management costs
Approved
According to Mayor Lou Linster, the last major reform of Leudelange's waste management regulations took place in 2007, when brown and blue bins were introduced. Today, the aim is to move towards “zero waste” by avoiding waste and recycling it, in line with the objectives of the UN, the EU and Luxembourg. There is still a great deal to be done in this respect. To illustrate this, the Mayor cites statistics from 2019, according to which 39 per cent of residual waste in the black bin is material which could be recycled as organic/recyclable waste. This also includes recyclable waste. The Mayor points out that more than 70 per cent of the materials which currently end up in black bins could be recycled.
Last but not least, the inflation rate has risen by almost 40% since 2007. Naturally, this means significant additional financial outlay on waste disposal for the Municipal Council.
As a result, municipal leaders have worked with the local administration to develop a wide-ranging catalogue of environmental and cost-oriented measures, some of which also benefit citizens. Waste disposal will become slightly more expensive for households, but at a tolerable level, assures Mayor Linster.
As we know, Leudelange wants to become a member of the SYCOSAL waste association, which will take over the collection of household waste. They will also join the STEP, which will give Leudelange residents access to the Bettembourg-Dudelange recycling park, where 70 different forms of waste can be deposited. A new local container park is also being built in the “Am Bann” business park.
In drawing up the regulations, the legal principle of “polluter pays” has been respected, following the path taken by other municipalities years ago, by increasing the amount of waste in the grey and green bins from April onwards. From 2025, fees will be charged according to weight. Additional charges must be paid each time a grey, blue or brown bin is emptied.
From April 2025, paper waste will be collected twice a month instead of once a month. According to Lou Linster, this improved service for citizens is of course also associated with costs, which is why every household and business will now be charged a basic annual fee of € 180, regardless of the actual use of the bins.
A family provision in the new waste regulations also means that families with a child aged between 0 and 3 will benefit from a € 75 reduction on their waste disposal bill. The same applies to citizens who can prove with a medical certificate that they or a member of their household are dependent on the use of a particular hygiene product.
The emptying charges, which apply in addition to the basic rate, vary according to the size and type of bin.
Waste tariffs 2025 | ||||
Basic annual tariff: € 180 per household/enterprise* | ||||
Colour | Type of waste | Volume in litres | Price per collection in €** | Weight (Price per kg)** |
Grey | Residual waste | 80 | 1.70 |
€ 0.40 |
120 | 2.50 | |||
240 | 3.50 | |||
660 | 8.00 | |||
1,100 | 8.00 | |||
Blue | Paper | 120 | 2.50 |
_ |
240 | 3.00 | |||
660 | 9.30 | |||
1100 | 12.00 | |||
Green | Compostable waste | _ | _ | € 0.10 |
Brown | Glass | 80 | 1.50 | _ |
240 | 3.00 | |||
* Costs will be increased as from 1 January 2025 ** Costs will be increased as from 1 April 2025 | ||||
The cost of new bins has also been adjusted. An 80-litre grey or brown bin costs € 40, a 120-litre grey, green or blue bin € 50, a 240-litre grey, green, blue or brown bin € 65, a 660-litre grey, green or blue bin € 300 euros and a 1,100-litre grey or blue bin € 400.
The cost to the Municipal Council of attaching a lock to a bin at your request is € 40. Damaged bins will continue to be repaired free of charge by the municipal services.
By law, the Municipality is no longer authorised to collect bulky waste free of charge. In future, there will be six bulky waste collections a year instead of the current four. In future, wood and metal waste will be collected along with bulky waste, rather than separately. These collections are not noted in the waste calendar, but you may contact the Municipal Council for information on the next collection date. The cost of collection is € 25 for a volume of up to 2 m3 and € 50 for a volume of more than 2 m3.
The price of rubbish bags, e.g. B, which can be left next to the rubbish bin after private parties, will be increased by € 4 to € 5. A fee of € 25 must be paid for the disposal of a fridge. Three rolls of yellow bin liners per household are still available free of charge at the municipal offices; each additional roll is charged at € 2.50. Hedge trimmings will continue to be collected free of charge twice a year.
Fines for illegally deposited waste have been increased.
The new waste regulations come into force on 1 January 2025; for the time being, only the basic fee must be paid. From 1 April 2025, tax will also be levied on the weight of waste and on emptying.
Councillor Patrick Calmus believes that the new regulations are an appropriate instrument to encourage everyone to produce as little waste as possible. Personally, he is never happy when charges increase, but in his opinion, the increases are within the limits of this regulation. He would like to know whether the weighing results will also be noted on the bill. The Mayor replies that that will be the case. The number of collections will also be shown on the bill.
Mr Calmus also welcomes the fact that different types of bulky waste (e.g. wood and metal) are now collected together.
Councillor Sandrine Pompidou is critical. In her opinion, rates should be social. However, current regulations penalise households with older children, who are already burdened by taxes and other costs. However, the Mayor points out that the Municipality and the State already provide various other forms of support for these families. Alderman Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri also agrees, citing the example of child benefit. However, we need to be more creative, says Councillor Pompidou. Municipalities could, for example, determine an estimated average quantity of waste per inhabitant in order to calculate costs. Mayor Linster replies that this will prove difficult. Some municipalities have no businesses on their territory, whereas municipalities like Leudelange have many. Very precise data would have to be collected per household and per person, which would involve a great deal of administrative effort. Alderman Demoling-Baldassarri adds that the households mentioned would then produce much more waste, which would go against the “polluter-pays” principle. The Mayor agrees with this assessment and feels that large households could also buy food in family packs, for example, and thus help to avoid waste.
Councillor Marcel Jakobs expresses surprise that the regulations indicate bin sizes which are not currently available. The Mayor explains that the regulations already indicate the prices of sizes which could be offered in the future.
Councillor Jakobs asks whether a newly purchased bin becomes the property of the purchaser. The Mayor replies that it does indeed. If you move house, you are free to take them with you or leave them with the next person in your home.
Asked by Councillor Nathalie Entringer about the € 0.10 charge by weight for the green bin, Mayor Linster explains that this charge is justified by the fact that the Municipality has to bear annual costs of over € 50,000 for the disposal of compostable waste. What is more, this charge is designed to combat food waste.
Councillor Entringer also asks whether the discount on the use of nappies rewards families who cause more waste, and highlights the possibility of supporting households which use reusable cloth nappies and can show proof of purchase. The Mayor proposes to discuss this matter at the next meeting of the Municipal Council.
With regard to Councillor Pompidou's question about how the innovations would be communicated to citizens, Lou Linster says that an information brochure will be published in March. The precise date on which the STEP access card will be issued to households will also be communicated at that time. The municipal waste disposal bill, which will be sent out in March 2025, will cover services provided in 2024.
Councillor Marcel Jakobs warns that there must be enough space in the paper container at the new municipal recycling centre so that the paper is not simply deposited next to the container. Yes, in this respect, we are considering buying a press container, replies the Mayor. If there are larger quantities of paper, it is advisable to dispose of them at STEP anyway.
The waste management regulations meet with unanimous approval.
6. Tariff regulations for the “An der Eech” and “Faarwekëscht” underground car parks
Approved
Mayor Lou Linster insists that the introduction of charges for the underground car parks at the community centre and school is not intended to harass the residents of Leudelange. VAT has been reimbursed to the tune of € 306,000 for the “Faarwekëscht” areas, and the amount for the car park still to be built under the Place du Lavoir will be considerably higher.
Underground parking will therefore be paid for, but only to a limited extent. In future, you will still be able to park free of charge at the aforementioned locations on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The first hour of parking remains free, after which the rate is € 1 per hour. Parking is free between 18.00 and 08.00. From the 15th hour onwards, € 30 is automatically charged to discourage long-term parking. The rules, drawn up by the Municipal Finance Committee, also stipulate that if a parking ticket is lost, € 40 must be paid.
Councillor Patrick Calmus welcomes the regulations, but is concerned about the number of reserved parking spaces. Mayor Linster replies that this practice is also common in other municipalities, and that as a municipality we must also be able to provide parking spaces for municipal and teaching staff.
Councillor Calmus also feels that a free hour at lunchtime is not enough, given the time needed for people working in the Leudelange business park to have lunch in the town centre (including the journey there and back). The Mayor therefore agrees to extend free parking to two hours during the lunch hour.
The fee regulations were unanimously approved.
7. Flood protection installations
Approval of agreements
a) Heritage agreement
b) Gansen agreement
c) Conventional regimes
Three other agreements with landowners within the framework of municipal flood protection will be presented to municipal councils. Within this context, the Mayor emphasises that he has met with the farmers of Leudelange and is looking for solutions which would satisfy all parties. A further meeting with representatives of the Water Management Board is also planned.
The agreements are unanimously approved.
8. Preliminary draft Grand-Ducal Regulation: “Forêt de Leudelange/Obeler Bësch” protected area
Declaration by the Municipal Council
In its declaration addressed to the Ministry of Nature Conservation, the College of the Mayor and Aldermen wishes to express its agreement to the creation of the protection zone, but at the same time requests that a total of seven plots located in the “Hënneschte Réidesch” and the “Wobësch” be excluded from the zone as they have become used for agriculture.
All the councils agree with this approach.
9. Construction application: Project 129A, Rue de la Gare
In the Rue de la Gare, a larger parcel of land will be divided in two to enable the construction of two buildings, each comprising two dwellings.
All the Councillors approve the application.
10. Approval of a notarised deed
Deed of purchase of land 842/8179
The agreement prior to this purchase of land by the Municipality was approved by the Municipal Council on 7 March. Following measurements, a new parcel was created at “An der Laach”.
The notarised deed is unanimously approved.
11. Amendments to the Municipal Road Traffic Regulations
Rue de la Montée, maximum parking time
The maximum parking time on the Rue de la Montée will be reduced from 5 hours to 2 hours.
All the municipalities agree to the change in parking time.
12. Update to the European Charter on Gender Equality
Approval of the updated Charter
According to Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri, Alderman for equal opportunities, the Charter has been completely updated in recent years and now also addresses urgent issues such as: B, Cyberbullying.
All the councils accept the updated Charter.
13. Municipal Consultative Committees (in closed session)
a) Resignation of the secretary of the Equal Opportunities Committee
The Municipal Council approves the dismissal of Jonathan Gauvain.
b) Resignation of a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee
The Municipal Council approve the dismissal of Liliane Betzen.
c) Resignation of a member of the Climate Pact Committee
The Municipal Council approves the dismissal of Dominique Calvao Périn.
d) Appointment of a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee
The Municipal Council approves the appointment of Dahu Khira to the Equal Opportunities Committee.
14. Correspondence, questions to the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
In response to a written request made by Councillor Marcel Jakobs at the last meeting, Mayor Linster announces that the bicycle wash will be ready for use from next week.
Councillor Patrick Calmus suggests that the painting be moved to the main hall of the “an der Eech” community centre in order for it to be displayed better. The Mayor promises to consider the proposal as the renovation work progresses.
Regarding a question about the operation of the street lighting in the Rue de la Gare, the Mayor says that the Municipal Council's technical department is in charge of resolving the problem and requested that the employee in charge, Michel Wodelet, give him more detailed information.
Referring to the recent week of action to combat violence against women, Councillor Sandrine Pompidou feels that the Municipality should have taken a clearer stance on this issue. Mayor Linster agrees and announces that as part of the redesign of the city centre, a lighting system is planned which would allow the municipal building to be illuminated in special colours on such occasions. Alderman Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri adds that unfortunately we do not have an equal opportunities officer at the moment, but that next year we would be making a greater effort to position ourselves.
15. Staff matters
Municipal employee for intellectual tasks, holder of a master's degree/diploma, setting the remuneration (in closed session)
The salary of a new employee is set by the Municipal Council.
16. List of applications for a right of pre-emption
a) Discussion (in closed session)
b) Decision (in public session)
The Municipal Council discusses land on the Rue du Lavoir.