Rapport de séance du 27 mars 2025

Municipal finances: presentation of the multi-year financial plan

1.Approval of the agenda
Approval
2.Communications from the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
3.Addendum to the Housing Pact 2.0
Approval
4.Internal regulations establishing the composition, functioning and powers of the advisory committees of the Municipal Council
Amendment
5.Approval of a notarised deed
Deed of sale, parcel number 1708/5123
6.Acquisition of land
a)Approval of a sale agreement, five parcels including number 801/7661
b)Approval of a sale agreement, parcel number 121/6207
7.Multi-year finance plan PPF 2025
Presentation
8.Budget amendment
Amendment of Article 3/263/648310/99001, “Aid to people in need”
9.“Meng Gemeng lieft Sport” Charter
Approval of the Charter
10.Noise control action plan
Opinion of the Municipal Council.
11.Staff matter
Creation of a skilled employee position (m/f/d).
12.Correspondence, questions to the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
13.Advisory committees closed session
a)Appointment of a member of the Climate Pact Committee
b)Appointment of the secretary of the Youth Committee
14.Organisation chart for the Municipality of Leudelange closed session
Presentation to the Municipal Council
15.List of requests for rights of pre-emption
a)Discussion closed session
b)Decision. public session

Present: Lou Linster, Mayor, Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri, Alderwoman, Jean-Pierre Roemen, Alderman
Councillors: Patrick Calmus, Marcel Jakobs, Sandrine Pompidou, Nathalie Entringer, Denise Conrardy-Copette, Philippe Wilmes (as from item 2 on the agenda until item 10 inclusive)
Municipal Secretary: Marc Thill

1. Approval of the agenda
Approval
At the start of the meeting, Mayor Lou Linster introduces the new municipal officer, Kelly Theissen, to the members of the Municipal Council. After completing an internship at the Municipality of Hesperange, since 15 February she has been working in Leudelange, where she ensures compliance with the parking regulations in force. The Mayor explains that this increase in local services is in response to requests from residents who wanted better parking management in the area.

2. Communications from the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
The Mayor announces that the car park at the Faarwekëscht school is now open to the public. However, he specifies that it will remain free of charge for the time being.
He then announces that Alderman Jean-Pierre Roemen will be taking leave from 14 April to 15 June for professional reasons. During this period, he will be replaced by Municipal Councillor Nathalie Entringer.
In addition, the Municipality of Leudelange is now one of around twenty municipalities to be awarded the “Tobacco-Free Municipality” label. This label, awarded by the Cancer Foundation, aims to protect young people from the dangers of tobacco through concrete measures, such as the removal of ashtrays from public places.
To close, in response to a question from Councillor Patrick Calmus regarding the availability of parking spaces for electric vehicles in the Faarwekëscht car park, Mayor Lou Linster states that no such facilities are currently planned for this location. However, he adds that new public charging stations will be installed elsewhere in the Municipality during the course of the year.

3. Addendum to the Housing Pact 2.0
Approval
The Mayor announces that the State will henceforth cover the costs of 380 hours of work by councillors assigned to municipalities under the Housing Pact, compared with 240 hours previously. He says this is a positive step forward, given the high demand for these services. Five Partial Development Plans are currently being drawn up in parallel, while numerous adjustments still need to be made to the General Development Plan.
The addendum to the Housing Pact is unanimously approved.

4. Internal regulations establishing the composition, functioning and powers of the advisory committees of the Municipal Council
Amendment
The weekly rates for municipal holiday activities for children, already adopted at a previous meeting, have been converted into daily rates.
The standard rates are € 50 per day for one child and € 40 per day per child for more than two children. The reduced rates are € 20 per day for one child and € 10 per day per child for more than two children.
Mayor Lou Linster points out that, although participation for the entire week is desirable, it has been decided, for various reasons, to allow registration on a daily basis, at least for the time being.
The rates are unanimously approved.

5. Approval of a notarised deed
Deed of sale, parcel number 1708/5123
The Municipality is purchasing a plot of land measuring 1 hectare and 500 square metres in the “Bei der Dieweschgriicht” for € 68,000. Nature conservation measures will be implemented there in future in collaboration with SICONA.
The notarised deed is unanimously approved.

6. Acquisition of land
a)Approval of a sale agreement, five parcels including number 801/7661
b)Approval of a sale agreement, parcel number 121/6207
The Municipality will acquire several plots of land necessary for the construction of a cycle path linking the Rue du Cimetière to the Rue Jean Fischbach and, in the medium term, the centre of the Municipality to the City of Luxembourg. These plots will be purchased at a price of € 9,000 per are.
Moreover, another parcel of land, intended for the “rapid tram” project, will be purchased at a price of € 800 per are. This will subsequently be bought back by the State.
Part of a parcel of land located on the Rue de la Gare will also be purchased at a price of € 500 per are for a longer-term project aimed at strengthening the intra-urban cycle network in Leudelange between the centre of the Municipality and the station.
Councillor Nathalie Entringer asks the Mayor about the amount to be paid by the State for the purchase of the parcel of land linked to the rapid tramway. The Mayor confirms that the reimbursement would be based on the same price currently paid by the Municipality.The various sales agreements are unanimously approved.

7. Multi-year finance plan PPF 2025
Presentation
Mayor Lou Linster presents the multi-year municipal finance plan to the Municipal Councillors (all figures are rounded up).
Between now and 2028, ordinary revenue is estimated at around € 24.7 million, while ordinary expenditure will amount to some € 17.9 million. The Municipality will thus generate an annual ordinary surplus of more than € 6 million.
For 2025, ordinary expenditure is budgeted at € 16 million. However, in the revised budget, this amount is likely to be reduced, as revenue is generally higher than initially forecast and expenditure lower.
As for exceptional expenditure, it is expected to reach € 18 million in 2025, peak at € 25 million in 2026, and then fall back to € 18 million in 2027. This change is mainly due to the “Shared Space” project, the net cost of which to the Municipality is estimated at € 28 million, once State aid and VAT refunds have been deducted.

8.Budget amendment
Amendment to Article 3/263/648310/99001, “Aid to people in need”
Mayor Lou Linster indicates that the amount allocated in the municipal budget for financial assistance to people in need must be significantly increased. The government wants to ensure that all those who are eligible actually receive the assistance available.
The government’s initial proposal, which was to pay this assistance automatically, was not accepted.
Instead, it has been decided to send application forms to those concerned.
For 2024, the budget allocated approximately £ 15,000 for this assistance. However, if all those entitled had applied for all the assistance to which they were entitled, this amount would have risen to £ 35,000.
In order to cover the needs for 2024 and 2025, the College of the Mayor and Aldermen proposes to increase this budget item to £ 65,000 in the 2025 budget. As the 2024 budget can no longer be amended, this increase will cover the additional expenditure incurred.
The proposal is unanimously approved.

9. “Meng Gemeng lieft Sport” Charter
Approval of the Charter.
Alderman Jean-Pierre Roemen reports that the agreement was signed on 27 February by representatives of the State and the inter-municipal association “An der Schwemm”. This agreement provides for an in-depth analysis of the stakeholders, the existing sports facilities and infrastructure, the development of a municipal action plan and proposals for improvements. All of these measures will be coordinated by a sports coordinator.
The costs associated with this coordinator will be covered by the State at a rate of 80% for the first three years, with this contribution gradually decreasing thereafter. Mayor Lou Linster specifies, however, that the State’s financial assistance will be paid directly to the “An der Schwemm” association and not to the Municipality of Leudelange.
Councillor Sandrine Pompidou welcomes the commitments contained in this Charter for the development of municipal sports facilities, while expressing concern about the significant increase in the coordinator’s costs from the fourth year onwards. The Mayor reassures her by pointing out that, unlike Bettembourg, the syndicate’s majority partner, the Municipality of Leudelange only contributes 20%, which considerably limits the budgetary impact.
The agreement is unanimously approved.

10. Noise control action plan
Opinion of the Municipal Council
The Ministry of the Environment has requested the Municipal Council’s opinion on the preliminary draft noise control action plan in residential areas. Mayor Lou Linster emphasises that protection against noise generated by the motorway must be strengthened and incorporated into the Council’s position, particularly in view of the forthcoming addition of a lane dedicated to carpooling and public transport.
Councillor Patrick Calmus opposes the idea that the plan does not require any “urgent measures” for Leudelange, citing in particular the noise pollution caused by night flights. He suggests that State aid be requested to install noise reduction equipment in private homes. The Mayor doubts, however, that the State will accept this request, considering that the nuisance is less than in Hamm or Bonnevoie. He nevertheless shares Mr Calmus’ desire to insist on compliance with the night flight ban.
Councillor Philippe Wilmes points out that Luxembourg Airport is a major asset for the national economy. He says that night flights are limited and that residents eventually get used to these occasional disturbances, unlike at large international airports.
Councillor Nathalie Entringer expresses a different view, pointing out that some people are particularly sensitive to noise, which can affect their health.
She also requests that the opinion mention the measures already in place in Leudelange or currently being implemented to control noise. Mayor Linster approves this suggestion, proposing to include speed limits on certain streets as well as the imminent “Shared Space” project in the centre of the Municipality.
In response to Councillor Sandrine Pompidou, who denounces the significant noise pollution caused by traffic on the Rue de la Gare, the Mayor outlines several measures to be taken: narrowing the Rue de la Gare and part of the Rue de la Montée, reclassifying the Rue de Luxembourg and the Rue d’Esch from national roads to “reclaimed roads”, and the complete redevelopment of the north and south motorway interchanges, which should prevent Leudelange from being used as a shortcut to the motorway. Finally, in the new districts, the width of the streets will be limited to 4.5 metres in order to improve the quality of life while maintaining moderate traffic..
The Mayor has asked the Municipal Secretary, Marc Thill, to draft a notice incorporating these various proposals, which will be submitted to the Councillors for approval

11. Staff matter
Creation of a skilled employee position (m/f/d)
A municipal caretaker will soon be retiring and needs to be replaced. Mayor Linster points out that other municipalities have a much larger number of caretakers. Leudelange seems to have reached its limit in this area, particularly due to the increasing use of its facilities, such as youth housing, the youth centre and, in particular, the sports hall.
All the Councillors approve the creation of this position.

12. Correspondence, questions to the College of the Mayor and Aldermen
Councillor Sandrine Pompidou enquires about the progress of French literacy in the Leudelange school system. Alderwoman Vanessa Demoling-Baldassarri replies that this literacy programme should be implemented nationwide from 2026. It will then begin in the first cycle of schooling, which means that pupils currently in school will not be affected.
Councillor Marcel Jakobs asks for details on the current use of the “Ruffbus”. The Mayor indicates that this bus makes around 150 trips per month, around 45% of which serve Leudelange.

13. Municipal advisory committees closed session
a)Appointment of a member of the Climate Pact Committee
Mr Gabriel Lux is appointed the new member.
b)Appointment of the secretary to the Youth Committee
Mrs Aline Stracks is appointed secretary.

14. Organisation chart for the Municipality of Leudelange closed session
Presentation to the Municipal Council
The Municipal Council notes the new organisation chart.

15. List of requests for rights of pre-emption
a)Discussion closed session
b)Decision public session
The Municipality waives its right of pre-emption on land located in Eelchesgewan, the “Op Hals development and the one on the Rue de la Forêt.