It was a unanimous decision by the Kleinzell local council on Wednesday: the community’s entry into the Traisen-Gölsental small region. A few days earlier, the way for membership was paved at the small region’s board meeting.
Kleinzell’s accession was preceded by a few discussions, beginning with a very open conversation between Kleinzell’s chairman, Mayor Manuel Aichberger, and Kleinzell’s mayor, Reinhard Hagen. The reason: The tasks of the municipalities, including Kleinzell, are becoming more and more diverse, not least due to changing legal framework conditions; an example of this is the Lower Austrian childcare offensive. “On the one hand, such initiatives represent a great opportunity for us as a region, but on the other hand, such improvements for the population pose major challenges for the communities, especially in the initial phase. It was precisely this comprehensive innovation that was the reason for my first conversation with Mayor Hagen. The added value of the comprehensive cross-community cooperation within the small region was quickly recognized,” says Chairman Aichberger. He is pleased to have gained another member community in Kleinzell for the small region so that he can “walk this path together.”
The focus of the small region: child care offensive as well as life and housing in old age
He emphasizes: “The small region supports its member communities in fulfilling their tasks, where it makes sense for the member communities.” There are already ongoing cooperations in fulfilling the legal requirements in the areas of the energy officer, the data protection officer and preventive service support . Projects like the one to support the Lower Austrian childcare offensive not only provide support, but also aim to achieve improvements for the region’s residents beyond municipal boundaries. Forward-looking projects such as “Living and Living in Older Age” or the BHW Traisen-Gölsental adult education facility are implemented and supported. “The small region can become active in every area of community or regional work for the member communities and the residents. Long-term regional management is the core of the work,” explains Aichberger.
“Admittedly, I have always been a very critical observer of the small region and the LEADER funding program. Reinhard Hagen, mayor of Kleinzell, whose municipality has now joined the small region.
“Admittedly, I have always been a very critical observer of the small region and the LEADER funding program. Particularly at LEADER, I was partly negatively influenced by my professional experiences. Over the past few months, I have worked intensively with the people responsible for the small region on the cooperation that is being practiced. I am now unreservedly convinced that excellent things are being achieved here for the communities and the region. “I’m pleased that this is seen across all factions in the local council,” says Mayor Hagen enthusiastically.
In fact, not only was joining the small region unanimously decided at the meeting, but joining the LEADER region and the implementation of the tourist guidance system organized by the small region were also unanimously approved. “I am very pleased that the small region will comprise twelve municipalities by 2024. With the opportunity given by the board of the small region, the community of Kleinzell can already take part in the projects that are currently starting or are finally being implemented. “In this way, the idea of achieving more together is impressively put into practice right from the start of the young member,” says small region manager Roland Beck, convinced of the chosen path.
From 2024, the Traisen-Gölsental small region will include the following twelve municipalities: Annaberg, Eschenau, Hainfeld, Hohenberg, Kleinzell, Lilienfeld, Mitterbach, Ramsau, Rohrbach, St. Aegyd, Türnitz and Wilhelmsburg.
