BerneBern City Council takes positive stock of its legislative period
SDA
3.7.2024 - 13:10
Bern's municipal government has taken stock of its legislative period. It has largely achieved its goals, as the five members announced on Wednesday.
03.07.2024, 13:10
SDA
Bern has been strengthened as a "vibrant, supportive and neighborly city", as Mayor Alec von Graffenried (GFL) said at a media conference. The voters had also approved all of the municipal council's proposals. The city had come through the coronavirus pandemic well, despite major challenges such as the city's finances.
The biggest downer for von Graffenried was the failed merger with Ostermundigen. It is still "a mystery" to him why the municipality of Ostermundigen feared that it would have suffered financial disadvantages. "Ostermundigen's no vote was also a reality check for the city of Bern as to how it is perceived from the outside," he said. The municipal council and city council definitely need to think about this.
Education and Social Affairs Director Franziska Teuscher (Green Alliance) had focused on the topic of "Social cohesion and equal opportunities". Teuscher's directorate launched various projects, for example to combat poverty, promote health, integration, prevent violence and combat racism. "We have managed to put down some important markers," she said. However, it is important to keep at it and continue to support those affected.
Lots of district heating, few bags of paint
Reto Nause (center), Head of the Security, Environment and Energy Directorate, highlighted climate protection. The city had significantly expanded its district heating network and thus greatly reduced its CO2 emissions. "The territorial CO2 emissions per capita in the city of Bern are well below the Swiss average," he said. This is something to be proud of. It is not yet known whether the city will achieve its 2021 target of reducing CO2 emissions per capita and year from 4.42 to 3.35 tons. The figures for the current year are not yet available.
Building and Transport Director Marieke Kruit (SP) was pleased with how the city was helping to shape public space. It is not only there for traffic, but is also a "recreational area, meeting place, green space and open space." She highlighted the Ausserholligen development focus as a successful project. A new district is being created there, "a new Bern".
Kruit's assessment is clouded by the color-bag separation system, which could not be introduced as planned and for which she had to take criticism. "We wanted too much at once," she said. It is now important to concentrate on what is feasible.
Finances and IT projects were a talking point
Finance Director Michael Aebersold (SP) was particularly satisfied with the city's housing policy in the current legislative period, as he said. This was demonstrated by the progress made with the major Viererfeld/Mittelfeld and Gaswerkareal projects, as well as a number of smaller projects.
With regard to the city's finances, which had repeatedly given rise to discussion, Aebersold highlighted the investments of CHF 400 million made between 2021 and 2023. Current and future generations would benefit from this.
The city also came in for criticism during the current legislative period due to various IT and digitalization projects. Both the new Base4kids2 school IT system and the Citysoftnet administration program caused problems. The city had made mistakes, but had learned from them. It is now in a better position and has increased its competencies, said von Graffenried.
The city government set itself its legislative goals in summer 2021 in the middle of the second pandemic lockdown. At the time, it chose "City of Neighborhoods" as the leitmotif for a total of 37 goals in five thematic areas. Some of these goals were vaguely formulated, while others were concrete and measurable.