The municipality of Assen is helping sports clubs and social parties by limiting rent increases for the coming period. Several Asser football clubs, among others, sounded the alarm last week because they were in danger of going under due to the high energy prices.
Because of these rising energy prices, the municipality of Assen is now introducing a package of support measures on top of the package of measures from the government. A limited rent increase at municipal accommodations is one of those measures. There is also an allowance for the energy costs of sports clubs and social organisations.
The college in Assen says it finds it important that everyone can continue to participate and that associations and social organizations do not have to compromise when it comes to their offer. “Perhaps with the thermostat a degree lower, but without too many financial worries and in the knowledge that the municipality helps to find solutions,” the college writes.
Instead of the indexed rent increase of 14.5 percent, Assen chooses to increase rents by 5 percent next year. This will apply to neighborhood associations and social parties for the whole of 2023. This will apply to sports associations during the first half of the year, due to the indexation moment in the summer. Last summer, the council did not pass on a rent increase for this category for the remaining months of 2022.
Companies, educational institutions and cultural organizations that rent from the municipality will receive a rent increase of 14.5 percent, but there are other ways for them, for example, to compensate costs afterwards via a subsidy or to reimburse extra costs with measures from the government.
The Municipality of Assen also offers its own support for households. A local energy allowance will be made available for households with an income of up to 130 percent of the social minimum. In addition, the Commission is also working on a proposal for an emergency fund for energy costs. With this emergency fund, tailor-made solutions can be provided to residents who still find themselves in trouble. An example is people who use extra energy because of the use of medical equipment and who receive insufficient compensation for this.
The city council has yet to formally consider the measures taken by the college. The official 2023 budget will then be adopted next month. The municipal council has already indicated that in this case the municipal executive does not have to wait for formal council decisions to implement the measures.