Concept for the TIETZ is available: Proposal secures the existing city library, adult education centre and natural history museum at a high level - city subsidy to increase by over 1 million euros from 2015

At the heart of this is the TIETZ's own contribution to optimising internal processes in the building without any noticeable reduction in services for citizens.

The concept is necessary because the TIETZ's subsidy requirements have risen steadily in recent years. It currently stands at 7.8 million euros per year. The income of the three facilities amounts to 1.4 million euros per year. If no countermeasures are taken, the solvency of the in-house operation would be jeopardised from 2014. There is also the threat of the city's budget not being approved by the state authorities and an imbalance with the city's other major cultural institutions.

"In recent years, the administration itself has imposed a strict austerity course with the Ekko, and the theatre has been forced to take drastic measures. Like the other cultural institutions, the TIETZ must also make its contribution," says Mayor Philipp Rochold.

In contrast to the theatre, however, the TIETZ is excluded from collective wage agreements. This means that the only option for the largest budget, the personnel costs, is a gradual reduction in staff through age-related retirements and natural fluctuation. With around 100 employees, a reduction of seven jobs is planned over the next four years. This would mean that the number of staff would be the same as when the centre opened in 2004. As in the past, redundancies for operational reasons are ruled out.

The other proposals, which were developed in close consultation with the facility managers, include, for example, the closure of the information desk on the ground floor combined with a reorganisation of the services currently available there. A moderate increase in fees for adults in the city library is also proposed: the annual fee is to rise from 18 to 23 euros per year. However, children and young people up to the age of 18 will continue to use the city library free of charge. In addition, e-learning programmes offered by other institutions are to be discontinued. In future, the return sorting of media will no longer be carried out by part-time employees, but by the staff themselves.

Another measure is the closure of the Einsiedel branch library: "If you analyse the visitor numbers, it would have made sense from a purely economic point of view to close all three branch libraries - Yorck, Vita-Center and Einsiedel," says Head of Operations Bernd Ruscher. "However, we also want to take the demographic situation in Chemnitz into account. That is why we are proposing to close the least-used branch library in Einsiedel, which is currently used by fewer than 300 people. This closure is to be compensated for by the increased use of the mobile delivery service and by the book bus travelling to the district."

At the adult education centre, the capacity utilisation of the courses is to be increased through targeted advertising. The minimum number of participants will also be reviewed. Offers such as aqua fitness courses or excavation tours are also to be offered by the adult education centre in future, which, unlike the previous providers, can make use of subsidies.

The Museum of Natural History is currently open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at weekends. The proposal is to reduce the opening hours to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Opening hours at weekends will remain unchanged.

Overall, if the TIETZ concept is implemented and to ensure solvency, the city's subsidy to the TIETZ would have to be increased by around € 1.1 to 1.2 million per year from 2015 to € 8.6 million (2015 and 2016) and € 8.7 million (2017). In 2014, the solvency of the owner-operated company is to be secured by implementing the planned measures and utilising the available liquid funds. The required subsidy increase from 2015 means that savings will have to be made in other areas of the city.

The planned integration of the music school and the cultural office into the TIETZ has been cancelled. As the envisaged synergy effects are not sufficient, their future positioning will be discussed with the Culture and Sports Committee. The results of the current structural analysis will also be taken into account.

"It is important to us that we give the city councillors the opportunity to consider the concept for the TIETZ in connection with the necessary steps for the theatre and thus from a city-wide perspective. The resolution on the theatre is scheduled for the city council meeting on 18 September 2013. At that time, the proposals for the TIETZ will also be on the table and can be included in the city councillors' deliberations," says Philipp Rochold.

"The situation is not easy, but I am sure that together we will succeed in both stabilising the TIETZ economically and guaranteeing a good offer," says Bernd Ruscher.

The city council is to decide on the proposed path for the TIETZ at its meeting on 16 October 2013. The concept was already presented to the parliamentary groups yesterday, Wednesday.