No milk for the children this autumn when municipalities have to save

Major cutbacks await in many municipalities this autumn. This shows a survey made by TV4 Nyheterna.
In Köping, the situation is so precarious that the milk is drawn into schools and preschools.
– Boring, thinks student Mahiir Hussein.

When TV4 Nyheterna asks the country’s municipal councilors, many answer that savings are expected this autumn due to the economic situation.

In the survey, 70 of the 127 politicians who responded state that cutbacks are expected this autumn.

The municipality of Köping has decided to withdraw the milk from schools and preschools in order to save SEK 300,000 per year.

The children disappointed

Something that is mourned by students Mahiir Hussein, 6, and Mirella Mati, 7, at Skogsbrynsskolan.

– It’s good for the body, says Mirella Mati.

– It’s sad because it’s good with milk, says student Mahiir Hussein.

The milk stop is one of several cost-saving measures in Köping municipality to bring the economy into balance. And the decision has sparked reactions.

– Children are children and it is the future. So hopefully the cuts we made will be enough, says Bertil Norrman, kitchen manager at Skogsbrynsskolan.

Temporary workers, premises and investments

Reduced temps, reduced local maintenance, postponed investments and austerity on things that are outside the core business are cost-saving measures that many of the municipalities in the country state they are taking. The organization Sweden’s municipalities and regions believes that the financial situation is worrying.

– The basic responsibility naturally lies with the municipalities. But one problem is that the state has not increased state subsidies in step with price and wage increases, says Annika Wallenskog, chief economist at SKR.

Could be even tougher in 2024

The government has promised to make an announcement if there will be extra money for the municipalities. SKR hopes that will be the case and fears that otherwise it will be even tougher next year.

– If costs were to increase in line with prices and wages, then we would get a result of minus 7 billion in the municipal sector. It is a very bad result. We haven’t had this weak since the 90s. That is why everyone is starting to take measures to avoid ending up in the deficit in 2024, she says.