Fanø plans free buses and cheaper childcare after budget turnaround

Fanø Municipality plans to make buses free for everyone and reduce childcare costs by more than 400 kroner, DR reports. The island municipality also plans to invest in nature care under a proposed budget for next year.

The budget follows several years of tight finances, cuts and requests for more money from the state. A majority of Fanø City Council has now agreed on a budget that avoids further savings and tax increases.

“It is really wonderful to be mayor of Fanø at the moment,” said Mayor Frank Jensen of the Social Liberal Party.

He said an annual state grant of just over 20 million kroner had changed the municipality’s financial situation.

“It means that we do not have to make cuts. We do not even have to raise taxes, but can do the things that take Fanø in a positive direction, with better and cheaper kindergartens and free buses,” Jensen said.

However, the agreement does not have the support of the entire council. Fanø City Council has 11 members, five of whom are not backing next year’s budget.

“It is not a disastrous budget. Not at all. We agree on a lot, but some sticking points were simply too big,” said Christian Lorenzen, a council member for the Conservative Party.

The main disagreement concerns plans to bring the town hall, health centre and emergency services together in a building already owned by the municipality.

“It is a great shame. I think it was a golden opportunity, precisely because we do not have to make cuts,” Lorenzen said.

The budget is due to receive final approval at the next council meeting in early October.