Lolland faces 531 million kroner budget shortfall and school closures

Lolland Municipality faces a 531 million kroner shortfall in next year’s budget and has proposed cuts that would close two schools, DR reports. The municipality’s administration has presented a savings plan outlining how it would find the first 200 million kroner.

The plan proposes closing Østofte School and Søllested School, while merging two other schools. It also calls for all spending that is not directly required by law to be removed from the municipal budget.

“It is very, very severe,” Mayor Marie-Louise Brehm Nielsen of the local list Din Stemme said. Arne Ullum, editor-in-chief of the outlet NB Kommune, described the plan as “a nightmare scenario” for residents.

“They are cutting everything that is not directly required by law,” Ullum said. “That means cutting all forms of prevention, culture, sports activities and so on.”

Lolland Municipality is facing falling population numbers and declining tax revenues. It also has high social spending, high debt per resident and low liquidity. The municipality hopes to receive a special state grant of around 300 kroner.