The reform commission to strengthen and relieve the municipalities proposes a far-reaching redistribution of administrative tasks in Saxony. In its final report, it recommends to the Saxon government an extensive list of measures in the areas of administration, financing and digitization, which should give the municipalities more room for manoeuvre again.
Tasks put to the test
The commission sees a task review, i.e. a fundamental review of the tasks for which the municipalities are responsible, as a central building block. The aim should be for the state to divest itself of everything that does not necessarily have to be performed by the state and to eliminate everything that restricts the municipalities in their self-administration without a compelling reason.
"We have chosen a very radical approach," said Ines Lüpfert, who was part of the commission as an alderwoman in the district of Leipzig, at the presentation in the state chancellery. Instead of working through all the points individually, it would be possible, for example, to remove all reporting obligations and then agree with the ministries which reports are absolutely necessary.
