A plan by the city council of Aalst, East Flanders, to outsource care centres, schools, childcare, and other services to external operators, has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Vooruit and Workers Party (PVDA).
The proposal involves transferring four residential care centres, 13 pre-primary and primary schools, four childcare facilities, and the Independent Living Support Service (OZW).
A total of 626 staff members will be affected, including 480 directly employed within these services.
Decision motivated by mounting financial pressure
Mayor Christoph D’Haese (N-VA) announced the plan as part of the council’s new multiannual budget. He assured that all affected employees would keep their jobs under the current wage conditions, pursuant to Collective Labour Agreement 32bis.
For the 146 support staff, councillor Iwein De Koninck (Team CD&V) aims to minimise layoffs through internal reassignment.
The city council cited mounting financial pressure as the reason behind the decision. D’Haese said the move was essential to allow investment in police, care, and sports infrastructure. He called it the hardest decision of his political career but said there was no alternative. Aalst currently employs 1,499 full-time equivalents in local government.
Details on how and to whom the affected services will be handed over will need to be finalised by 2026.
The plan is a direct attack on public service, Vooruit charges
The Vooruit party criticised the plan as a “direct attack” on Aalst’s public service system. Local party leader Ann Van de Steen accused the council of trying to fill financial gaps through “privatisations without vision." Concern was also raised about the affordability and quality of services, with councillor Sam Van de Putte warning of higher costs and uncertainties regarding availability.
Vooruit condemned the lack of consultation with staff and unions, calling the approach “cold, calculated, and disrespectful.”
The local PVDA faction expressed firm opposition to the plans as well. Councillor Alexander Van Ransbeeck denounced them as “a massive cutback on accessible, affordable services." He warned that families, children, and seniors would suffer from the “right-wing, antisocial policies” and called for the city council to abandon the plans and start dialogue with workers and unions.
Unions were notified of the proposal on Tuesday, with initial discussions scheduled after the autumn break. However, the issue was brought up earlier on Tuesday at a council meeting.
D’Haese defended the decision to inform staff before making details public, calling it a priority to communicate internally first.
Aalst is projected to lose €19.1 million in government funding by 2031
Despite this, concerns arose within the workforce and community, with rumours spreading through media outlets. Councillor De Koninck said the council had organised a press conference to clarify the scope of the plan and counter misinformation.
The mayor rejected fears of service closures or mass layoffs, promising that care centres, schools, and childcare centres would remain open and no staff would lose their jobs. D’Haese stressed the continuity of services, assuring residents that children and seniors would still be able to access the facilities.
The council clarified that the plan was part of an ongoing debate regarding core responsibilities. The formal multiannual budget will only be presented to the municipal council in December, following legal procedures that require strategic and financial documents to be made available at least two weeks before the final discussion, scheduled for 16 December.
According to the council, the restructuring is necessary to safeguard the city’s financial stability since Aalst is projected to lose €19.1 million in government funding by 2031.
“We must do what’s necessary to create financial breathing space for the city,” said D’Haese. “This ensures that Aalst can continue moving forward even under difficult circumstances.”
