21 October 2024

Question posed by Councillor Antonia Afonso

There is a glaring lack of cycle paths, pavements, speed cameras and speed bumps in our municipality. Additional infrastructure of this kind would help to reduce the number of accidents. What solutions are being considered by the City?

Response provided by Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt

Your question is broad, but that does not make it less important. The City of Luxembourg attaches a great deal of importance not only to the safety of all road users but also to promoting cycling and walking throughout Luxembourg City. Cycling and pedestrian infrastructure is gradually being upgraded and brought into compliance with applicable standards and recommendations, generally as part of the infrastructure works to upgrade underground networks. The City of Luxembourg's Mobility Plan, which was presented a few months ago, also provides for the development of an active mobility concept. Pedestrian and cycle routes are currently being examined, and proposals will be made to upgrade them. An initial draft of this concept is expected to be available in the spring of 2025 so that it can be presented to the relevant advisory committee and to the Municipal Council.

As regards the installation of speed cameras, this falls within the sole remit of the Ministry for Mobility and Public Works (Ministère de la Mobilité et des Travaux publics – MMTP). While the City is in regular contact with the MMTP, it is the MMTP that decides where these devices are installed.

The City would be happy to answer any questions regarding safety at specific spots.

Question posed by Councillor Tom Weidig

The miniature railway that used to operate in the Pétrusse Valley was always a source of joy and delight for children and their families, but also for the committed people who kept it running. The railway was also extremely popular when it was moved temporarily to Place Guillaume II in 2023. Unfortunately, the tracks on which the five-inch train ran in the Pétrusse Valley were dismantled in 2023 in preparation for LUGA 2025. Are there any plans to reinstate the miniature railway? If so, where and when?

Response provided by Alderman Maurice Bauer

As Councillor Weidig rightly said, the miniature railway was indeed a source of joy for many people. But the train was not removed because of LUGA. It was removed as part of the land restoration work being carried out in the Pétrusse Valley. It is currently being stored in a warehouse, and we are looking for an appropriate site to set it back up again. Although a site has yet to be found, I can assure you that we are intent on opening the miniature railway to the public again, as part of the good relations we have with the people who put their heart and soul into keeping it running.

Urgent question posed by Councillor Maxime Miltgen

Questions submitted in writing:

"1. Why haven't the decisions to terminate the agreement with Caritas and to sign a new agreement with HUT been presented and discussed at Municipal Council meetings?

2. What exactly are the terms and conditions of this new agreement with HUT, especially regarding this association's remit and its obligations towards the City? Can the mayor provide the Municipal Council with a copy of the agreement?

3. What guarantees has HUT given in terms of ensuring that workers' rights are respected, and how does the City ensure that these conditions are fair compared to those that applied to Caritas?

4. Does the new agreement mean that the City's funding conditions and obligations towards Caritas have changed? If so, in what way?

5. What criteria were used to select HUT as the new partner association, and why wasn't this tender process or change transparent and discussed within the Municipal Council?

6. What is the actual term of the agreement with HUT, and are there any clauses providing for a review of the new partnership or its termination?"

Councillor Maxime Miltgen

On the day after the Municipal Council meeting held on 30 September 2024, the City of Luxembourg announced that it had terminated its agreements with Caritas and had signed several new agreements with the new association, HUT, without having put the decision to the Municipal Council for a vote. The decision was taken in particularly trying circumstances, marked as they were by accusations that HUT was failing to comply with labour law provisions on the hiring of employees.

At a meeting of the Commission for Social Action, Inclusion and Elderly People (Commission de l'Action sociale, de l'Inclusion et des Personnes âgées), many questions were raised and they were all answered transparently and thoroughly, which helped us understand why action had to be taken so quickly. We welcome the fact that the decisions were taken so quickly, in the interest of both the beneficiaries and staff. Nevertheless, we regret that the entire process was not more transparent, and that the Municipal Council had not at least been informed in advance. But even though most of the questions were answered by the commission, I still have two more questions: Why weren't the issues of the termination of the agreements with Caritas and the signature of the new agreements with HUT raised at the Municipal Council meeting the day before? Even if there was to be no vote on these issues, it would have sent a signal that the City was being transparent. My second question has to do with whether the agreements with HUT are temporary. At the meeting of the commission, I was told that the press release issued by the City mentioned that the agreements were for a limited period of time, but that this was not mentioned in the first press release.

Response provided by Alderwoman Corinne Cahen

This matter is a headache for everyone. Associations involved in the social sector have seen an alarming decline in donations in recent months – according to the Red Cross, donations have declined by 80%. Both the government and the College of Aldermen are doing their best to ensure that socially disadvantaged people continue to receive the support they need, and to save the jobs that are at stake.

It is hard to say exactly how many people receive support, owing to the number of entities through which support is provided, which includes social supermarkets, night shelters, and the "Le Courage" bistrot social. In our view, it was important to keep these services running. Of course, it would have been preferable to discuss the matter beforehand at the last Municipal Council meeting, but the agreement with Caritas was to be terminated, and the agreements with HUT to be signed, the following day. We presented the agreements with HUT at a meeting of the Social Commission and, at that meeting, we also provided answers to Councillor Miltgen's questions.

A glass can always be seen as half-full or half-empty. Regarding the question as to what will happen after 1 January 2025, all I can say is that I hope that HUT proves to be a partner that we can trust – and I have no reason to doubt that they will be. The fact that the agreements are temporary means that we are free to withdraw from them if problems arise – which I hope will not be the case. It is all the more important that the services continue to be delivered, especially now that winter is upon us and that HUT will be taking over the Wanteraktioun winter service previously provided by Caritas.

As for the question as to whether the existing service offerings are sufficient: yes and no. The existing services are now being delivered by HUT. If we identify any additional needs, we can react quickly. For example, we have provided accommodation for a group of young homeless people, without making too much of a fuss about it. Through such services, we try to offer people long-lasting solutions so that they can focus on preparing a life plan. It is often the case that the people concerned do not readily accept assistance and support, for example, when dealing with physical or mental health issues, or addiction.

Our duty is to create a sufficient number of entities and, in a manner of speaking, to help social workers help people. For instance, one of the challenges we face is to ensure that existing night-shelter guests are eventually housed in more permanent accommodation.

The first set of facilities is still located in the offices that used to be occupied by Caritas. We have yet to sign an agreement with HUT on the first set of facilities. The City is not paying more than it did before – that is to say, for the staff positions and the funding HUT needs to be able to do its work. The City has not lost any money. A statement of accounts will be drawn up at the end of the year.

A meeting between representatives from the City and HUT has been held. I am relieved that things turned out this way. A number of issues – for example on the topic of political advocacy – will need to be discussed elsewhere, most notably in the Chamber of Deputies.

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

Thank you to Alderwoman Cahen for answering all these questions. I would just like to add that I totally reject all assertions that could give the impression that we have taken no action. In July, when we learnt the terrible news that €61 million had disappeared, and that the future of some 340 Caritas employees would be on the line as of September, we immediately met with the people handling the matter to try to find solutions.

I am deeply shocked at the way in which certain individuals have treated the people who are fully committed to trying to find a solution within two months, so that the services can continue to be delivered and the employees can continue to be paid. I am referring, in particular, to Mr Billon, the president of the new association, HUT. Some have accused him of not having a social conscience. I would like to point out that Mr Billon has been the president of the National Social Protection Committee (Comité national de défense sociale – CNDS) for many years, which is the same committee that manages the Abrigado centre, among others. These are people who have a track record of defending the most underprivileged.

We had to act quickly. It was exactly on 30 September 2024 – the date of the last Municipal Council meeting – that most of the agreements between HUT and Caritas's former staff were signed. That was the prerequisite for HUT to be able to continue delivering the services.

The College of Aldermen also held discussions with representatives from Caritas, including its president, Marie-Josée Jacobs, who was also shocked at the lack of consideration for many people's years of work. I would like to thank the people who managed to find a solution in just two months. I am pleased to see that this solution has the full support of all of the members of the Municipal Council. Between now and the end of the year, we will see what the future holds. I hope that things will be able to continue as they did before. If not – for example, if some of the staff do not wish to work in the new entity – we will have to find the best possible solutions.

In response to a question posed by Councillor Muller, I would like to add that 18 employees have been taken on. As at 1 August 2024, the City had paid €2.379 million, whereas €2.5 had been budgeted. Of course, a statement of accounts will be produced for the services that will be delivered between now and the end of the year, and the relevant information will be provided to the relevant advisory committee.