15 June 2026

Question posed by Councillor Liudumila Branca

In recent months, several cases involving women in psychological distress, whose social circumstances can be described as extremely fragile, have been brought to my attention. It appears that, in some cases, vulnerable women are refusing to make use of the shelters and support services that are available to them – such as those provided by HUT (Hëllef um Terrain), Inter-Actions, the Red Cross, and other emergency services provided by the City and its partners – because they feel that these collective facilities, especially those that take in individuals with severe addiction or chronic homelessness issues, do not cater to their psychological, social or safety needs. As a result, some women find themselves increasingly isolated and experience a gradual decline in their circumstances, despite the fact that appropriate support could help to prevent any worsening of their social and psychological situation.

• Is the College of Aldermen aware of cases involving particularly vulnerable women who are rejecting existing shelter facilities, owing to their psychological state, traumatic experiences, mental health issues, or the fact that facilities are ill-suited to their circumstances, and to their social, psychological, and safety needs as vulnerable individuals?
• Does the City have any data or assessment reports on women who find themselves in these circumstances, and most notably data/reports produced in collaboration with social welfare associations and services operating in Luxembourg City?
• Is the College of Aldermen of the view that the current offerings adequately meet the needs of women experiencing mild or moderate psychological distress, who require support in a calm, non-stigmatising environment?
• Does the City plan to work with stakeholders in the social welfare and mental health sectors to explore the possibility of implementing a small-scale pilot project to provide supported housing for this specific population?
• Can the College of Aldermen provide details regarding the joint efforts currently being made by the City's social welfare services and specialist mental health organisations to provide preventive support for women experiencing such issues?

Response provided by Alderwoman Corinne Cahen

The number of people in need is on the rise, especially among women. In her question, Councillor Branca does not specify exactly which category of women she is referring to. Is she referring to women who live on the streets, or women who are forced out of their home due to domestic abuse, for example? In matters of psychological and psychiatric care and support, responsibility lies with the State. Both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity operate facilities that provide these services, and some of these are located in Luxembourg City.

I have already provided Councillor with a list of all such facilities. I can't list them all here, but a wide variety of such facilities exist. For instance, in Luxembourg City, there are facilities for women with children, information centres, long-term shelters, a women-only overnight shelter, and a women-only hostel operated through the "Wanteraktioun" initiative. There is also the "Marga" (a daytime shelter for women with substance abuse issues), the "Vis-à-vis" facility operated by the association "Femmes en détresse", the "Centre national pour les victimes de violences" (CNVV), etc. The City of Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Luxembourg Mental Health League, has also opened a centre for homeless people with mental health issues.

We work with the relevant government ministries, and do our best to offer places in these facilities. Of course, all we can do is offer the women in question our help. If they refuse, we cannot force them to accept it.

Urgent question posed by Councillor Liudumila Branca

In an article published today on reporter.lu, there were reports of irregularities at the Luxembourg City Conservatoire. Speaking on condition of anonymity, certain members of staff are critical of the Conservatoire's management, and express regret at the lack of oversight by the City. Criticism about a lack of transparency has also been levelled by the FGFC union and the Conservatoire Teachers' Association.

Another issue that has been raised is how working hours are distributed among the teaching staff, and particularly the fact that two section heads are granted a reduction of more than 15 hours in their weekly teaching load, which is viewed as an unwarranted difference in treatment compared with the other teachers. Full-time teachers normally teach 22 hours a week. Exemptions from teaching for administrative duties are possible but, on average, they amount to 8 hours a week.

The article also raises questions about the transparency around the allocation of teaching-free time for the 2025-2026 school year. According to the criteria set out in the article, section heads can be granted up to 10 teaching-free hours per week, which is significantly less than the exemptions granted in the two cases mentioned above. In addition, there are reports of other inconsistencies and errors in the school's organisational policy.

Another issue raised in the article relates to the call for applications for the position of director of the Conservatoire. According to the article, the Mayor had decided to extend the deadline for submitting applications by one week, i.e. until 22 May 2026.

Over the past 15 years, the number of students enrolled at the Conservatoire has increased from 2,600 to 4,500. Again, according to the article, this has created an ever greater workload for the institution in terms of its administrative processes, which have not been adjusted in line with the increasing number of students.

• Was the College of Aldermen aware of the issues raised in the article in question? What is its response to this criticism?
• The article reports that there was to be a meeting between the Mayor and the teaching staff. Has this meeting taken place? If so, when was it held? What was the outcome of the meeting? If not, why has the meeting not yet taken place?
• How does the College of Aldermen intend to respond to resolve the issues raised around the distribution of teaching-free hours? Can the College of Aldermen guarantee that situations like these will not re-occur, particularly with regard to the Conservatoire's upcoming organisational policy, which is due to be submitted to the Municipal Council imminently?
• What were the reasons behind the decision to extend the deadline for applications for the position of Conservatoire director by one week? Are there still no plans to open the call for applications to external candidates, as we had already requested at the last municipal council meeting? If not, why not? And given the current tense climate, shouldn't we work together with all of the relevant stakeholders to develop a strategic vision, and then incorporate it into the decision on the new director?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

I'll start with the most recent questions, since I've already answered them. The deadline for submitting applications for the position of director was extended because two details were missing in the call for applications, namely "m/f" in the job title, and the fact that teachers with ten years' experience and a job grade of E7 can also apply. The call for applications was issued internally, because we wanted to give someone with extensive experience – in both education and administration – the chance to apply for the position.

The current director and deputy director have been exemplary in their management of the Conservatoire. It is common knowledge that the Conservatoire's enormous success has led to a series of problems. The introduction of legislative changes in 2022 and 2023 also led to a considerable increase in workload, and coping with this required a great deal of flexibility and creativity. Since the start of the 2024-2025 school year, some 50 or so meetings have been held with all of the relevant stakeholders. Among those involved in the discussions were section heads, the Conservatoire's administration, the cultural and technical departments, the Conservatoire Teachers' Association, the Parents' Association, and various relevant City departments. The discussions focussed mainly on clarifying the organisational structure.

As for the criticism about teaching-free hours, no legal provisions or guidelines have been breached. The free hours that have been the subject of criticism were due to the considerable workload. There were long waiting lists with, for example, 406 people for piano classes, 178 for introductory music classes, and 97 for guitar classes. The 16.5 and 17.5-hour reduction in teaching hours pertained to two distinct roles, namely the role of section head, and the role of "administrative assistance and coordination" – a one-time assistance role that was necessary to cope with the sharp increase in the number of registrations. In the course of the 50 meetings mentioned earlier, it was agreed – in collaboration with all of the stakeholders involved – that the distributions of tasks should be further clarified in the future.

The article in question was badly received by most of the Conservatoire's teachers. I have received many letters from teachers who said they were shocked by the way the Conservatoire – an important pillar of our cultural life – was portrayed in the article. Somewhere along the line, there might have been a misunderstanding about the teaching-free hours. In any case, what was described bears no relation to the reality at the Conservatoire, which is characterised by the exceptional dedication shown by the vast majority of the teachers. It is thanks to this dedication that the Conservatoire produces such excellent results.

The new internal regulations will ensure that every aspect is clearly defined from the outset. I hope that the unwarranted criticism levelled against the Conservatoire is now a thing of the past.

Question posed by Councillor Christa Brömmel

The Housing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies recently presented plans to amend the Law of 20 December 2019 concerning the hygiene, health, safety and liveability criteria for housing rented out or made available for residential use (Loi relative aux critères de salubrité, d'hygiène, de sécurité et d'habitabilité des logements donnés en location ou mis à disposition à des fins d'habitation). The aim is to simplify the enforcement of the law by eliminating several of the criteria that currently apply.

• Was the City consulted beforehand? Who participated in the consultation?
• What is the City's/College of Aldermen's position on the following aspects:
  • the provision for the Mayor to initiate the inspection procedure in the event of serious grounds for suspicion;
  • the Mayor's power to order forced entry if a serious risk to occupants' health and safety has been identified;
    - the placing of an official notice at the entrance to any accommodation that has been declared unfit for habitation;
  • the extension of the period during which the administrative fee is due to one year at most;
  • the appointment of an authorised and trained municipal officer;
  • the introduction of the "Housing Label" (Label du logement) to identify housing that meets a high level of quality (in terms of comfort, energy efficiency and architectural design);
  • the abolition of the minimum floor-area requirement of 9 m2 per room.

Can the College of Aldermen rule out the possibility of these changes actually legalising substandard housing conditions? In the College of Aldermen's estimation, how many additional housing units will be freed up with the introduction of these changes?

Response provided by Alderwoman Corinne Cahen

I am neither a member of the government, nor a member of the Chamber of Deputies Housing and Spatial Planning Committee. Councillor Brömmel may know more about this than I do. A bill has not yet been proposed. We were invited to a meeting with the Minister of Housing. The Mayor, Alderman Maurice Bauer and I attended that meeting. We were asked a series of questions to elicit our views on various topics, such as, for example, the fitness-for-habitation criteria that apply to housing, and the Rent Committee. We replied that we believe that everyone in this country should be able to live in decent conditions, and the minister shares this view. The relevant City department is sometimes invited to participate in a working group. One of the aims of that working group is to ensure that the same legal provisions on the subject of fitness for habitation are enforced across the entire country.

The City of Luxembourg has already started conducting inspections and, where necessary, is asking property owners to bring their accommodation units into compliance with the legal provisions within a specified time frame. For example, renting out a windowless cellar as housing is unacceptable.

We believe that the floor-area requirement of 9 square metres – which we consider to be an absolute minimum – should only apply to the room itself, and that this floor area should not include a shower and/or a kitchenette.

It remains to be seen what the minister will decide, and what will be proposed in the bill. I would like to take this opportunity to call on landlords to ensure that they are complying with the existing rules governing fitness for habitation, so that tenants can live in decent conditions.

Question posed by Councillor Christa Brömmel

School gardens offer a host of benefits, such as a chance to develop psychosocial skills (e.g. independence, perseverance and patience), to learn to cooperate and work as a team, and to connect with nature and gain an understanding of natural cycles and ecosystems. To promote the transfer of gardening knowledge and culture, the City works closely with the Luxembourgish Allotment and Leisure Garden Federation (Ligue luxembourgeoise du coin de terre et du foyer) – also known as Gaart an Heem – which is running a pilot project in the Pétrusse allotment garden for pupils from Hollerich elementary school.

Following the repair of the walls after the flooding in 2021, and owing to the work being carried out as part of the Pétrusse Valley restoration project, the educational garden project is currently on hold: the only way that the garden can be accessed is via a staircase that is unsafe and unsuitable for the pupils to use.

• When are the wall repairs and Pétrusse Valley restoration works due for completion?
• To avoid losing another gardening season/year, would it not be possible to find a temporary solution – e.g. a safety rail – as quickly as possible so that the children can access the educational garden safely from above, since the access from the valley is blocked?
• Does the College of Aldermen plan to open more educational gardens like the one in the Pétrusse Valley?

Response provided by Alderman Maurice Bauer

We are delighted that schools are offering educational gardens, as they provide a chance for children to acquire many skills that will be useful in their future lives. The College of Aldermen plans to make schoolyards greener, and activities of this kind could eventually be organised right in the schoolyards themselves.

In the specific case in question, the activities are organised in collaboration with the Luxembourgish Allotment and Leisure Garden Federation ("Gaart an Heem"), whom we thank for sharing their expertise with us. It is true that the educational garden in Hollerich has been in a poor state since the flooding in 2021, and that, currently, it cannot be accessed via a safe route due to the works being carried out in the Pétrusse Valley. The works to renovate the walls and to build retaining walls are expected to begin in August 2026, and to be completed by the end of January 2027. Once the works have been completed, the children will be able to access the educational garden safely again.

Another educational garden is to be opened in the "Cité jardinière Uelzecht" in Beggen, again with the support of the association "Gaart an Heem". We are always pleased when institutions take this kind of initiative, and we are always happy to support them.

Christa BRÖMMEL (déi gréng): So, a temporary solution would not be feasible in the case of Hollerich?

Alderman Maurice Bauer: No, because it is also a precautionary measure. The educational garden in Hollerich is located in an area where major construction works are being undertaken as part of the Pétrusse Valley restoration project. The relevant City departments have therefore advised against using the educational garden for the time being. As already mentioned, it is expected to be accessible again in early 2027.

Question posed by Councillor Maxime Miltgen

In response to the question I asked on 8 May 2025, regarding the mini-golf course in the Pétrusse Valley, we were told that, further to the rockfall from the cliff overhanging the site, safety assessments and additional safety works were needed before the mini-golf course could be reopened in conditions that guarantee the safety of users at all times. We were also told that the rock face in question belongs to the State, and that discussions were ongoing with the latter to find a long-term solution to make the site safe.

• Since then, has a solution been found with the State, or with the National Roads Administration (Administration des ponts et chaussées, to ensure the safety of the rock face overhanging the mini-golf course?
• What specific safety measures have been implemented since then, or are currently planned?
• Has the risk assessment now been completed? And do the relevant authorities consider that the site is now safe?
• When could the mini-golf course be reopened to the public?
• If the site still cannot be reopened, what steps still need to be taken? And what is the projected timeline for the required works and the relevant decisions?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

We hope to reopen part of the mini-golf course – six or seven holes – in time for the 2026 summer season. However, this is assuming that the safety works are completed by then. The works in question include installing anchor points and safety netting on the rock face, as well as a two-metre high safety net and a strip of sand at the base of the cliff, to catch any falling rocks. This project is being jointly undertaken by the National Roads Administration and the City's Service Forêts (Forestry Department). It remains to be seen whether the works will be completed in time for the summer holidays.

Urgent question posed by Councillor Fabricio Costa

The "Chiche" restaurant in Limpertsberg currently employs around 70 workers, and since all of them are from immigrant backgrounds, social integration is a distinctive features of the project. The restaurant has become a meeting place for people from different cultures, and is popular with many residents of the capital and beyond. The project has since been extended to other municipalities.

From what I gather, the restaurant is at risk of being closed down, due to an issue with the operating permit that it requires to be able to accommodate more than 50 customers. It seems that the City has refused to grant the required permit for the restaurant's second emergency exit, on the grounds that the evacuation route would traverse a plot of land rented to the City by the association Zaltimbanq Zirkus ASBL, and that the lease entered into with the association in question makes no provision for this. It has also been claimed that granting an easement would prevent the development of future projects on the land in question.

This specific case raises broader questions about the support that business operators receive from the City when faced with administrative issues.

• Can the College of Aldermen confirm the information I have about the "Chiche" restaurant in Limpertsberg?
  • Does the College of Aldermen not share the view that closing this restaurant would be a considerable loss for the Limpertsberg district, and indeed for the entire city, given the project's focus on social integration?
  • Has the College of Aldermen contacted Zaltimbanq Zirkus to explore the feasibility of a second evacuation route in case of fire? What are these future construction projects that would be hampered by the installation of a second escape route?
  • What support has the City offered to the restaurant operator in question or what support does it plan to offer, in order to prevent the restaurant's closure, which would result in 70 employees being let go? Will another location be proposed?
  • Generally speaking, in cases like this – especially in matters of compliance with administrative requirements – what support does the City of Luxembourg offer to store, café and restaurant operators?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

The situation is a little more complicated than it appears on the face of it. I wrote to the operator – Ms Donven – on 18 May 2026. She replied on 2 June, and I will, of course, reply to her in turn. Councillor Costa's question was submitted on 7 June. This is not an administrative matter, but rather a safety issue, which falls within the remit of the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) and the Labour Inspectorate (ITM). I would like to point out that the restaurant in question has been operating since 2020. So this is not something new.

Creating a second exit opening on to an adjacent plot of land where children attending the Zaltimbanq circus school are often present is not advisable. For safety reasons, unauthorised persons should not be allowed access to this area. That is also why the restaurant was not given permission to build a terrace. If a right of way or an easement were granted, that right would not only apply to the existing restaurant. It would also continue to apply to any other operator in the future, should the type of use change.

I do not think that the restaurant is about to close, since this situation has been tolerated by the relevant authorities for several years now. However, I am willing to meet with Ms Donven to explore possible solutions.