Administrative reform continues to make progress

Stefan Evers, Berlin’s Senator for Finance. (File photo)

The implementation of Berlin's administrative reform is progressing step by step.

At its most recent meeting, the Senate reached agreement on another measure, as Finance Senator Stefan Evers (CDU) announced at City Hall. The measure concerns the legal framework for district financing. Going forward, the principle will be: "He who orders, pays" - if districts are to take on new responsibilities, they must receive the necessary funding to do so. 

Connectivity Implementation Act aims to prevent structural burden on districts

This could simply be a matter of funding. However, it could also mean that the district in question is relieved of some of its burden by cutting other tasks, increasing digitization, and streamlining administrative processes, as Evers explained. The technical term for this is the "Konnexitätsausführungsgesetz" (Law on the Implementation of Connectivity), which, according to the CDU politician, is a "significant component of administrative reform."

New awareness of the need to relieve burden on the districts

Evers expects the law to have far-reaching consequences: Senate departments have been explicitly asked to consider how they can ease the burden on the districts. "We will thus create a new awareness," he said. "The law represents one of the key modernization steps in the overall administrative reform" and is a driver of efficiency gains that is unparalleled nationwide, said the CDU politician. 

Council of Mayors discusses draft

It’s not a done deal yet. "There are still a few steps to go," said Evers. "A whole host of technical questions have arisen." First, the draft will go to the Council of Mayors, which plans to discuss it at a special meeting on Thursday. After that, the Senate must pass an official resolution, and then the members of the House of Representatives will have their say. He is confident that the bill will be passed as scheduled before the summer recess. Most recently, there had been some snags within the Senate during discussions on the bill. That hurdle has been cleared: The Senate has shown full agreement on the bill, said Evers. "There were no critical questions today." 

An important milestone in administrative reform

District financing is a recurring topic of discussion. A fundamental problem is the "growth of public responsibilities" overall, said Evers. The districts are facing an ever-increasing burden, particularly due to rising transfer payments. Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) has described the administrative reform as the foundation for a functioning city. The State Organization Act required for this has been in effect since the beginning of the year. The corresponding amendments to the state constitution are now also in effect.