Security - 350 million euros needed to renovate the police force
Many police stations in Lower Saxony are still run-down and in poor condition. The costs for the necessary renovations amounted to approximately 353 million Euro at the end of 2023, as the Finance Ministry in Hannover announced in response to a CDU inquiry in the state parliament.
The Ministry acknowledges that a significant renovation need exists for a large portion of police stations. However, this need can only be addressed gradually - on the one hand due to the high costs involved, and on the other hand due to external influences such as a shortage of skilled labor and material shortages.
CDU Demands Renting of Police Stations
CDU fraction leader Sebastian Lechner criticized that the condition of many police stations was barely tolerable for police officers and policewomen. The state government must therefore abandon the idea that all renovations can be achieved through self-construction. "That's too slow," Lechner said. Instead, the state should work with investors and provide more money for rents. "We need to get involved in investor- and rental models," the CDU politician demanded.
The ministry also writes that the "inadequate building condition of some service buildings" leads to renting being the only viable option for better housing in some cases. Examples of this are the police stations in Winsen/Luhe and Rinteln. However, rentals always burden the police budget - and this has an immediate impact on how much money is available for the operational work of the police.
Costs for Central Police Headquarters Multiplied
Compared to 2022, the costs for the necessary renovations have more than doubled. The ministry had still indicated a need of around 186 million Euro in the spring of 2023, which was significantly lower than the current estimate. The main reason for the strong increase was the preparation of a renovation plan for the Central Police Headquarters in Hannover, the ministry stated. The anticipated costs for this had increased from 28 to 172 million Euro.
In the budget for this year, the state government has allocated 80 million Euro for the renovation of all state-owned buildings. An additional 20 million Euro are available specifically for energy renovations. Furthermore, 31 million Euro come from a special fund for the Central Police Headquarters in Lower Saxony, and 16 million Euro for the police station in Peine.
- Sebastian Lechner, the CDU fraction leader, argued that the poor condition of many police stations in Lower Saxony is not suitable for police officers and policewomen, advocating for the state government to abandon self-construction methods and explore investor- and rental models instead.
- In response to a CDU inquiry in the state parliament, the Finance Ministry in Hannover revealed that the expense for necessary renovations in Lower Saxony's police stations totalled approximately 353 million Euro at the end of 2023, due to factors like high costs and external influences.
- Following the recognition that many police stations in Lower Saxony are rundown, the Ministry acknowledged the need for renovations but mentioned that it can only be addressed gradually due to financial constraints and external factors such as a lack of skilled labor and material limitations.
- The Ministry also stated that the insufficient building condition of certain service buildings, like the police stations in Winsen/Luhe and Rinteln, necessitates renting as the only viable option for better housing. This option, however, puts an immediate strain on the police budget.
