Neubrandenburg assigns construction and economy to the mayor – Culture and schools move to Modemann

A reorganization of administrative responsibilities is pending at Neubrandenburg City Hall, affecting central areas of control. According to a draft resolution, the Department of Urban Planning, Economy, and Construction will in the future be assigned directly to Mayor Nico Klose (independent). The city council is to decide on this on June 18. The effective date is set for July 1, 2026.

Reorganization of administrative responsibilities

Specifically, it is about removing various areas from the responsibility of Deputy Mayor Peter Modemann and transferring them to the mayor's department.

• Construction administration
• Building supervision
• Land-use planning
• Urban development
• Housing
• Economy and labor

In return, Modemann is to take over responsibility for the following areas – in addition to security and order:

• Schools
• Sports
• Generations
• Culture

According to the draft, the following also belong to this cultural and social area:

• Regional library
• Regional museum
• Art collection
• City archive

The municipal property management enterprise remains unchanged under the mayor.

Why the reorganization is politically more than just a matter of the organizational chart

The planned shift affects precisely those areas that have been considered particularly sensitive in political operations in recent months.

• Land-use planning for residential and commercial construction
• Integrated Urban Development Concept (ISEK)
• Relationship with the municipal housing company Neuwoges

By bundling construction, housing, and economy with the mayor, strategic development and investment issues would move closer to the political administrative leadership. The administration argues that organizational proximity enables shorter decision-making paths and closer integration with citywide goals.

A thematically related draft in the council information system (resolution draft BV/VIII/0287) describes the objective similarly: strategic development, investment, and economic areas with the mayor, while security, order, and social stability as well as education, sports, and culture are to be bundled with the deputy mayor.

There is also a fiscal policy aspect. Culture and sports are among the voluntary municipal tasks – areas that come under particular pressure in financially tight years because, unlike mandatory tasks, they are not legally required. Klose described the likelihood that the city would have to draw up a budget consolidation plan in 2027 as "very high." Who is responsible for which budgets, priorities, and goal conflicts is therefore not only relevant internally but also politically.

What exactly is to change in the administration

According to the draft, the area of security and order remains with Deputy Mayor Modemann. In addition, schools, sports, generations, and culture are added.

• Security and order
• Schools, sports, generations, and culture

This is intended to give the two management levels a clearer profile: The mayor is responsible for strategic development, investment, and economic areas, while the deputy mayor is responsible for security, social stability, education, and culture. The link between social infrastructure and security policy is described as a "holistic prevention approach."

How the process works – and who decides

Formally, the change has not yet been decided. The draft would amend a city council resolution from 2015. After an initial discussion in the main committee, consultations are planned in five specialist committees, after which the main committee is to deal with it again on May 28.

• Initial discussion in the main committee
• Consultations in five specialist committees
• Further discussion in the main committee on May 28
• Decision in the city council on June 18

The main statutes provide that the city council decides on changes to the distribution of responsibilities. The political decision on whether construction, housing, and economy will in future be bundled directly with the mayor and culture and schools will remain with the deputy mayor will be made there on June 18.