Towns complain about increasing duties and responsibilities and less and less funds

Austria's cities and towns are experiencing rapid population growth. At the same time, local authorities are increasingly overburdened with duties and responsibilities and costs have risen, yet the towns receive less and less funds.

Presentation of 'Austria's Cities and Towns in Figures 2007' study

This fact was confirmed by the Secretary General of the Association of Austrian Cities and Towns (Österreichischer Städtebund), Thomas Weninger, at a news conference in Vienna, where, together with the Director General of Statistics Austria, Peter Hackl, Weninger presented a new study about 'Austria's Cities and Towns in Figures 2007'. "The figures speak for themselves", said Weninger. "While the population is growing and more and more people are commuting from the surrounding areas to the cities, the funds available to the cities for their duties and responsibilities are decreasing."

Cash-strapped councils - a backlash for economic development

According to the study, the total income of the state, the provinces, cities and towns and municipalities has indeed risen by about 26 per cent in the last ten years. The state leads the way by some distance with an increase of 34.4%. On the other hand, the local authorities (excluding Vienna) have only had an increase of 21.7%. At the same time, the gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by almost 40% over the same period. In the previous year, 300 euros per inhabitant were invested in Austria's towns and cities, and thus municipal investment amounted to 0.75% of GDP in 2006. This ratio is the lowest for decades and represents an absolute low point for municipal investment, having enormous consequences for the economy. The towns and cities are the economic motors of the country. Under-financed local authorities and inadequate investment could also set back Austria's economic development.

Central importance of metropolitan areas

The head of Statistics Austria, Peter Hackl, explained that more than 50% of Austria's population live in urban areas, and 44.5% live in 74 towns of more than 10,000 inhabitants. Towns and cities are of great importance for urban catchment areas, not only as the location for businesses, jobs and tourism, but also for municipal public services, education and health. All in all, they give impetus to the economy.

Urban population characterised by immigration

As of 1 January 2007, 23% of the population in the large towns were born outside Austria, Hackl explained further. The largest percentage of these foreigners came from the countries of ex-Yugoslavia (7.7% of the total population, that is 285,000). 3.1% (114,000) originated from Turkey, while Germany and Asia accounted for 2.2% each. This percentage of foreigners varied from province to province, according to Peter Hackl. For example, 4.1% of people in Innsbruck were born in Germany, as opposed to only 2.1% of those in Vienna. In contrast, the number of immigrants from ex-Yugoslavia in Vienna amounted to 9.2% of the population, significantly higher than in Innsbruck (4.8%). The percentage of the population originating in Turkey is almost the same in both cities - 3.8% in Vienna and 3.6% in Innsbruck.

14% foreign children in schools on average - 33% in day care centres

The population structure is also reflected in schools and day care centres, according to Hackl. In the school year 2006/7, more than 142,000 children, of whom almost 33% were not native German-speakers, were cared for in about 3,500 day care centres. The highest percentage of foreign children was found in kindergartens (34%), closely followed by after-school care clubs (33%) and crèches (27%). Approximately 700,000 schoolchildren attended more than 2,600 schools. The percentage of non-native German-speakers was about 14% on average. In Vienna, the percentage of non-native German-speakers was very high (30-40%). In Klagenfurt, by comparison, it was only between 7% and 16%. The remaining provincial capitals were more or less the same and were responsible for approximately 30% non-native German-speaking schoolchildren. The Secretary General of the Association for Austrian Cities and Towns, Thomas Weninger, called for additional funds for increasing integration work on the part of the local authorities.

Study a collaboration between the Association and Statistics Austria

 'Austria's Cities and Towns in Figures' is a collaboration between the Association for Austrian Cities and Towns and Statistics Austria. From 2007, the publication replaces the "Statistical Yearbook of Austrian Cities and Towns", which appeared annually from 1950 onwards and reported on the development of towns and cities of more than 10,000 inhabitants.



 

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Association for Austrian Cities and Towns Statistics Austria City of Vienna