District increases subsidies for indoor swimming pools – but communities are demanding more!

District increases subsidies for indoor swimming pools – but communities are demanding more!

An important financial decision is pending in the Donau-Ries district, which affects the use of the indoor swimming pools in Nördlingen and Asbach-Bäumenheim. In the future, too, the aim will be to cover costs sustainably. District Administrator Stefan Rößle emphasized that cost-covering fees are crucial for the success of the swimming pools. These fees are intended not only to cover ongoing investment and financing costs, but also to make an important contribution to the long-term security of operations. A corresponding report from donau-ries-aktuell.de discloses the details.

An important aspect in the discussion is that the district includes the use of a school class as single occupancy, even though several classes could often be accommodated in the indoor swimming pools at the same time. This leads to a kind of imbalance in the calculation of fees, which is viewed critically by many representatives of the affected municipalities. Martin Müller, treasurer in the Donauwörth district office, also reported on various compromise offers that were made to the district.

Request staff and financial support here

The representatives from Nördlingen and Asbach-Bäumenheim made themselves clear: They would like to see an increase in financial support from the district. Not only is there talk, but concrete figures are also given. While District Administrator Rößle offers an additional annual subsidy of 50,000 euros, the municipalities do not see this amount as sufficient. Instead, they are demanding 100,000 euros annually in order to reduce the financial burden somewhat.

However, the pursuit of cost-covering fees is not just a local issue, but also reflects a nationwide trend. An introduction of a structural reform of the federal fee law, as described in an article by destatis.de mentioned, is intended to bring about more fundamental modernization and standardization at the federal level. This is also intended to strengthen the cost recovery principle and improve legal certainty when calculating fees.

Conclusion and outlook

The discussion about indoor swimming pools in the Donau-Ries district is part of a larger debate about costs and financing in the public sector. Deciding how to deal with this could lead the way for future projects and investments. It remains exciting to see how the discussions between the municipalities and the district will continue and what influence the various demands will ultimately have on the structures in the region.