Niederkrüchten's Monthly Blog – April 2026

On Course: Decisions and Savings for the Future

What was important this month

• Deutschlandticket Schule will not be continued – Annual cost savings amount to approximately 27,000 euros.
• New regulation for parents with free travel rights – Starting with the new school year, they must order a Deutschlandticket themselves.
• Audit Committee met – Claudia Wenz and Lukas Hilscher were appointed as secretaries.
• Annual report 2023 and budget audit 2024 in focus – Legal and financial foundations were reviewed.
• Transparency remains a priority – The administration provides an account of its activities.

Student Transport: From the SchokoTicket Era to the Future

In April 2026, the decision was made not to continue the so-called Deutschlandticket Schule for the school year 2026/2027. Instead, the regular Deutschlandticket contract will be terminated by April 30, 2026. The reason: an annual cost saving of approximately 27,000 euros.

For parents with free travel rights, this means that, starting with the new school year, they must order a monthly Deutschlandticket themselves. The individual contribution remains at 14.00 euros for the first child and 7.00 euros for the second child. The difference is reimbursed monthly upon request.

The costs for student transport at the Community Primary School Elmpt currently amount to 89.83 euros per student (68 students, a total of 6,108.37 euros monthly). At the School at Lütterbach (13 students), the costs are 72.09 euros per student.

Audit: Transparency and Control

The Audit Committee met on April 16, 2026, chaired by gez. Degenhardt. A motion to release the Mayor from responsibility for the year 2023 was submitted, and a report on the audit of the fiscal year 2024 was read aloud.

New roles were also assigned during the meeting: Claudia Wenz was unanimously appointed as secretary and Lukas Hilscher as deputy secretary. The qualified citizens received an introduction to their duties and pledged according to § 52 Abs. 1 GO NRW.

To support the work, Ursula Gilleßen was engaged as the protocol service. The documents 149-2025/2030, 150-2025/2030, and 151-2025/2030 were submitted as materials for further processing.

The Balance Between Savings and Security

A central trend in the current municipal administration is the search for financial efficiency without compromising quality. The cost savings from switching to the regular Deutschlandticket show that it is possible to reduce costs without endangering the educational environment of Niederkrüchten.

At the same time, transparency remains a key factor. The Audit Committees and the review of entitlements are important tools to ensure that public funds are used purposefully and legally.

Conclusion and Outlook

April 2026 was characterized by clear decisions and structural adjustments. The termination of the SchokoTicket contract and the switch to the regular Deutschlandticket demonstrate how the city can reduce costs and increase transparency.

In May, the implementation of the new regulation for parents with free travel rights will come into focus. In addition, further meetings of the Audit Committee are planned to report on audit results and proposals for optimizing budget management.

Niederkrüchten thus proves how administration and politics can act in harmony with the interests of citizens – pragmatically, transparently, and future-oriented.