The City Board approved the 2024 financial statements and the project plan for special education facilities

At its meeting held on Monday, February 24, 2025, the Riihimäki City Board discussed, in addition to the financial statements and the project plan for special education facilities, several documents summarizing last year's activities.

The board approved the 2024 financial statements and information financial statements and proposed to the city council that it approve the well-being report. The board noted the personnel report for information.

In addition, the government proposes to the council that it allocate an additional appropriation of approximately 4,6 million euros for land acquisition and the implementation of the learning support law reform and the teaching of Finnish as a second language.

Financial statements with a surplus of 0,1 million euros

The city's financial statements show a surplus of EUR 3,6 million before the investment reserve made from the result, depreciation and the liquidation of the participation fund. The city is preparing to support the future campus investment of Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) by making an investment reserve of EUR 3,5 million from the result. After the changes, the surplus for 2024 will be EUR 0,1 million.

The city's result clearly weakened from the previous year, as 2023 still had a surplus of 11 million euros. However, the years are not comparable, as the result in 2023 was improved by one-off tax and government transfer items related to the welfare area reform. The water supply company's share of the 2024 surplus is 2,2 million euros.

Increase in sick leave

According to the personnel report, the city's strengths continue to be the clarity of work objectives, the content and relevance of the work, and skilled supervisors. There is a need for development in the functionality of work communities and the flow of information.

The number of sick days per person among city staff increased by almost 14 percent compared to 2023. There were an average of 17,4 calendar days of sick leave per person, compared to 15,3 calendar days a year earlier. The increase is at least partly explained by the worse infection situation than the previous year.

According to the report, the number of city personnel has decreased slightly compared to 2023. Last year, the city employed 1 people, compared to 122 the year before. The average age of employees is 1 years.

According to the information accounts, the city's data protection and information security management is at an established level. Development areas relate in particular to systematic risk management, continuous improvement of information management, and maintaining personnel's data protection and information security expertise.

According to the well-being report, the well-being of Riihimäki residents has remained unchanged compared to 2023.

Special education facilities for Uramo

The City Council approved the project plan for the special education facilities, according to which the facilities will be located on the Uramo school and daycare property as a single-storey extension. At the same time, the Council requires that the implementation planning, preparation of the local plan amendment and building permit processing be scheduled so that construction can begin as soon as possible.

A brief child impact assessment has been carried out in connection with the project plan. Demanding special support education is intended for students who have limitations due to learning ability, illness or functional capacity.

Additional appropriations for learning support and land acquisition

The City Government proposes to the council a total of 4,6 million euros in additional appropriations for the 2025 budget. Of this amount, 4,4 million euros would be used for land acquisition and 0,2 million euros for the implementation of the legal reform on learning support and for teaching Finnish as a second language.

The money used for learning support would be used to create, among other things, four new special education teacher positions. The key objective of the legislative reform is to shift the focus of support to early and timely support for students.

The City Council will discuss, among other things, additional appropriations and the welfare report at its meeting on March 31, 2025.

Watch Riihimäki city council meetings on the city's YouTube channel.

See the agenda for the Riihimäki City Council meeting on March 24, 2025.

Read the previous release: Financial statements 2024: higher-than-expected tax revenue raised Riihimäki's result to a surplus (March 2025).

Read the previous announcement: The city supports HAMK's campus project with 7,5 million euros (December 2024).

Read previous news: Continued use of the old city hall and special education facilities for basic education to be considered by the city council (November 2024).