New rooms for social welfare office
Asylum, Migration, Homeless Department moves to the "Alte Post" in May
Department 50.4 of the Social Welfare Office will move into rooms in the "Alte Post" in May. Mayor Michael Stötzer informed the Administrative and Finance Committee about this yesterday evening.
Due to the large increase in the number of asylum seekers, particularly last year, and the associated processes - reception of asylum seekers, payment of benefits, application for sickness certificates, etc. - which usually coincide with the arrival of the asylum seekers, the new office will be located in the new building. -It is no longer practicable to house the relevant department of the Social Welfare Office in the Technical Town Hall. The number of new admissions alone almost quadrupled in 2015 compared to 2014. As a result, the number of asylum seekers who have to visit the Social Welfare Office has also multiplied due to the above-mentioned services.
Overall, the space required within the social welfare office has doubled due to the additional tasks. Alternative accommodation has therefore been sought in order to improve the situation for employees and visitors to the Social Welfare Office. These rooms are not available in the properties previously rented by the city administration.
The plan is to rent 1,288 square metres of rental space from CNMS Solidarität in the "Alte Post" for four years and eight months at a price of 7.50 euros basic rent and 2.50 euros advance payment of ancillary costs, which results in a monthly rent of 12,880 euros. In addition, approx. 150 square metres of waiting area are to be rented in an adjoining building. A rent of 3.50 euros and 2.50 euros service charges are planned for this, so that the total rent for the waiting area will be around 900 euros per month. This part of the rental agreement will be concluded for an indefinite period so that it can be cancelled at short notice if the number of visitors decreases.
A major advantage of this solution - in addition to the significant improvement in the working and waiting situation - is that the Citizens' Registration Office, in particular the Foreigners' Registration Office, the Youth and Family Office and the Health Department are all within walking distance. The new building is also barrier-free. The cash machine for payments is also located in Moritzhof. The location can be reached quickly and easily by public transport, which also reduces the number of taxi journeys to the pay machine once asylum seekers have been allocated. At the same time, programmes offered by the adult education centre, for example, can be better utilised. Last but not least, the city's public order service can include the area much better in its patrols in the city centre. Following the relocation of the social welfare office from the Technical Town Hall to the Moritzhof in 2017, the social welfare office will be concentrated in the city centre.
The landlord is currently starting the conversion work. The City of Chemnitz is only covering the costs of furnishing the offices and the IT connection. The aim is to relocate the department in mid-May 2016, with the relocation costs totalling 7,500 euros.