Moers Monthly Blog: March 2026 – Focus on Education, Budget and Participation

Expansion, Budget and Co-creation: Moers Sets Impulses in March 2026

What Was Important This Month

• The school committee approved the expansion of full-day schools and the establishment of two family primary school centers.
• The 2026 budget was updated and shows a deficit of 42.8 million euros.
• The Moers Citizens' Council was evaluated, and recommendations for a sustainable participation culture were formulated.
• The expansion of childcare and the increase in parental contributions were newly regulated.
• The main committee rejected the introduction of the X-30 bus line, but agreed to the expansion of the full-day school.
• The culture committee presented plans for the renovation of the White House, supported by federal and state funding.

Education: Expansion and Structural Change

In March 2026, Moers set clear impulses in the field of education. The school committee decided to increase the maximum capacity of the full-day school to 2,450 places to cover growing demand. In addition, the establishment of two Family Primary School Centers (FGZ) was pursued to better support parents and children in a shared learning environment.

Funding is provided through the Opportunities for Start-Up (Pillar I) program, with the city of Moers receiving approximately 8.46 million euros in grants until 2034. The Eschenburg School benefits from a base amount of 250,000 euros.

In addition, the regulation on the collection of parental contributions for childcare was revised. The new provisions for the parity rotation model (50:50) are legally secured and are intended to be designed more fairly and transparently.

2026 Budget: Deficit, Investments and Loans

The 2026 budget was updated in March 2026. It shows a deficit of 42.8 million euros. The investment loan amounts to 47.1 million euros, which is significantly above the permissible net new debt limit of 17 million euros.

The administration requested the transfer of authorizations from the 2025 budget to the 2026 budget. The consumption-related authorization transfers amounted to 3.7 million euros, the investment-related ones to 141.4 million euros.

In addition, the budget regulation included a reorganization of Department 5, which will be implemented in the areas of order, security and fire department.

Citizen Participation: Sustainable Structures

The Moers Citizens' Council, which took place in November 2025, was evaluated. Of the 1,500 people contacted, 46 participated in the council, meeting criteria such as gender distribution and age. The results and a scientific evaluation were presented.

In addition, recommendations for the establishment of a citizens' participation office, the development of participation guidelines and the establishment of a participation portal (BePo) were formulated. Funding could come from the federal program "Living Democracy!".

The Committee for Citizens' Motions was also active this month. 21 citizen motions were discussed, including topics such as reforestation, sidewalks in Meerbeck, analog ticket purchase and flower arrangements in cemeteries. Most motions were unanimously approved.

Transport and Mobility: No to X-30, but Expansion of the Full-Day School

The main committee rejected the introduction of the X-30 bus line from the local transport plan 2025, but welcomed the transport goals. In addition, it approved the expansion of the full-day school to 2,450 places starting in the school year 2026/2027.

In the area of sports facilities, the modernization of the Schwafheim sports facility was presented, and the sports working group started with specific project goals and participation formats.

Culture: Renovation of the White House and Future Projects

The Culture Committee presented plans for the renovation and modernization of the White House. The goal is 80% funding of the total costs of 32.49 million euros, with 50% from the funding program "Kulturinvest 2023" and 30% from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The design competition for the renovation of the White House will be conducted until the end of 2026, and the competition-accompanying office has been commissioned. The composition of the jury has been politically secured.

Common Trends: Budget Security, Participation and Structural Adjustments

In March 2026, clear trends emerged: The city of Moers is focusing on budget security through investments, citizen participation as a central steering element and structural adjustments in administration and education. Although the budget remains in deficit, through clear prioritization and investments in education and infrastructure, the city of Moers will strengthen its long-term competitiveness.

Conclusion and Outlook

March 2026 was characterized by key impulses in education, budget and participation. With the expansion of full-day schools, the updating of the 2026 budget and the evaluation of the citizens' council, Moers has taken important steps towards sustainable development. In April, it will become clear whether the adopted measures can be implemented in practice – particularly in the areas of digitalization, fire department training and cultural investments.