Councillors question the wisdom of insulating buildings using a €5.5 million grant in Voznesensk
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- Alona KokhanchukReporter
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Prefer on Google
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The Voznesensk City Council building: Photo: NikVestiIn Voznesensk, councillors have written an appeal to Mayor Yevhen Velychko, proposing that over €5.5 million in grant funds – which were earmarked for the thermal modernisation of public buildings – be redirected towards resolving water supply and drainage issues.
The open letter, signed by a number of councillors, was published on Facebook.
It should be noted that Voznesensk City Council plans to secure up to €5.5 million in grant funding from the Kingdom of Denmark via the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). The funds are intended for the comprehensive thermal modernisation of the buildings of the Voznesensk Multidisciplinary Hospital and the Insight Lyceum.
At the same time, the authors of the appeal emphasise that they support the attraction of international aid, but believe that before a final decision is made, the community should receive full information about the project, its financial implications and possible alternatives for the use of grant funds.
«We support the use of international technical assistance, grant programmes and investments for community development. At the same time, we believe that before a decision is made on the implementation of a project of this scale, the community must receive full and comprehensive information about its benefits, financial implications, long-term effects and possible alternative uses for international aid,» the appeal states.
According to the authors of the appeal, one of the most pressing problems facing the Voznesensk community remains the dilapidated water supply and drainage systems. They say that residents regularly face water supply disruptions, particularly in the summer. Some of the wells require cleaning or reconstruction, and the existing capacity does not meet the population’s needs.
The councillors draw particular attention to the condition of the treatment facilities, noting that postponing their modernisation could lead to emergencies and create environmental and technical risks for the community.
Furthermore, the authors of the appeal express concern regarding the transparency of the future project’s implementation. They note that the council and the public have not yet been provided with a detailed mechanism for the use of grant funds, the procedure for approving additional expenditure, or the process for monitoring their use.
In this regard, councillors and the city authorities are urged to publish, prior to making a final decision, the draft grant agreement, the full financial plan for the project’s implementation, a list of the community’s financial obligations, the mechanism for using the contingency fund, the procurement procedure and the selection of contractors.
They are also asking for an economic justification for choosing thermal modernisation specifically as the priority area for the grant’s use, and a comparative analysis of alternative projects, particularly in the areas of water supply, wastewater management and other critical infrastructure.
«We are convinced that international aid should meet the community’s most urgent needs as fully as possible, and decisions on the use of multi-million-pound grant funds must be made openly, transparently and exclusively in the interests of the residents of the Voznesensk community,» the authors of the appeal emphasise.
Text of the open letter. Photo from Facebook
Text of the open letter. Photo from Facebook
Text of the open letter. Photo from FacebookIt was previously reported that the modular Administrative Services Centre in Voznesensk will undergo renovation with the support of international partners. The expansion will involve increasing the number of offices, as all necessary utilities have already been connected. This will enable the provision of additional services to the public.
It was also reported that a tender had been announced in Voznesensk for the development of design and cost estimate documentation for the construction of a new water intake. The project involves drilling new wells, installing a solar power station and decommissioning old, inactive wells.
