For the Salpakankaa school, a plan for phased renovation was initiated. However, it quickly became clear that the problems were much more extensive and required more than just renovation. The cost estimate rose dramatically and, for example, the renovated former library space and the upper secondary school premises had to be demolished. At the same time, junior high school students were moved to emergency rooms due to indoor air problems and symptoms also began at the Kalliola school. The reconstruction of the three schools took about 10 years and the total costs approached 70 million euros. Leasing was used to finance the financing, and maintenance has been implemented using a life-cycle model for the Heinsuo and Kalliola schools, for which the municipality pays an annual rental price including financing and maintenance costs.
The decline in the birth rate was not very visible in the construction of schools in Salpakanka, but the topic of the Heinsuo and Kalliola schools was discussed: what number of students the schools should be designed for. The political steering group estimated that the birth rate would return to its previous level and that it would not be worthwhile to build schools that were too small.
We now know that the birth rate has been falling permanently since 2010 and is now at a historically low level. The birth rate in Päijät-Häme has halved since 1990. As older age groups leave school one grade at a time, the number of students in schools will automatically decrease by approximately 50–70 students/year, at least until the end of this decade. Correspondingly, the state contribution will also decrease by approximately 0,7 million euros/year.
The challenges of the municipal economy in the 2010s were obvious: the municipality's large investment burden combined with varying degrees of weakening of the state transfer system and the stagnation of GDP and tax revenue growth during the 2008 financial crisis. In this regard, the municipality prepared economic adjustment programs in both 2013 and 2019. The 2019 adjustment program outlined the closure of -4 school/daycare units. The need was included in three perspectives: the decrease in the number of children, financial challenges and the need for extensive renovation/management of investments. The units to be closed were identified by a council decision made on 17.2.2020 February 2020 (Hiekkalinnan pk 2022, Hälvälän koulu 2025, Tiilikangasaan koulu XNUMX). The proposed closure of Paimela school was not approved.
The lack of long-term and systematic repair and maintenance of buildings has been one of the key problems with buildings. It has been easy to save money on buildings from the municipal budget. There are of course many other explanatory factors. The municipality wanted to avoid similar problems in the future. In 2018, Hollola Tilapalvelu Oy, 100% owned by the municipality of Hollola, was established to manage the long-term maintenance of the municipality's facilities. The company has, among other things, participated in the national Senate properties pilot project and renewed the remotely controlled and readable property management systems for the new millennium. This political decision was intended to guarantee children safe facilities.
The 2020s have been full of exceptional factors in the local economy. In 2020–2022, the corona pandemic transferred students to homeschooling and municipalities were paid exceptional corona subsidies. From the beginning of 2023, social and health services were transferred to the responsibility of welfare areas and 12,64 percentage points of municipal tax were cut from municipalities, and through complex transitional provisions, some municipalities (from which more income was cut than expenditure) were given compensation. Municipalities also received post-tax settlements for 2022 based on a higher tax rate. In 2023–2024, social and health care calculations have also been revised and the central government transfer from municipalities has been further reduced due to higher than expected deferred costs. The municipalities of Päijät-Häme will receive these transitional compensations of approximately 40 million euros/year, and the municipality of Hollola approximately 4 million euros/year.
A broader state transfer reform has been in preparation since spring 2024, with one of its key goals being the elimination of social security and health transition equalization. However, no additional funding is coming to the system, which means a zero-sum game between municipalities. The proposal submitted by the state transfer reform investigators has been ready since autumn 2024, but the reform is awaiting political guidelines. We are still living in uncertainty, because the state transfer reform is of crucial importance to the municipality's economy.
The decision to close Tiilikangas School was made in February 2020. The school would have needed extensive renovations already in the 2010s, but the rapid deterioration of the condition of the municipality's largest schools required all resources to be allocated to the school buildings in question. After the decision to close Tiilikangas School was made, only maintenance and indoor air repairs have been made to the school, and some of the premises with indoor air problems have been closed.
Problems can arise quickly for a building that has reached the end of its technical service life, as has happened with the municipality's large school buildings in the past. The municipality's expert organization (Tilapalvelu Oy) has stated that the use of the building cannot be continued safely without risks without extensive renovation. For this reason, the officials have also not been able to propose the continued use of the school.
The expert opinions presented by Tilapalvelu Oy and the requested external expert opinions have each been understood from their own perspective, either as meaning that the continued use of the school is safe for health or as meaning that the continued use of the school is not safe for health. Since no actinomycetes or a similar problem requiring immediate termination of use of the premises has been found in the premises, the matter involves consideration, which has ultimately been made (twice) by the council.
The Tiilikangas school decision is understandably difficult for children, parents, employees and decision-makers alike. Heinsuo and Salpakankaa schools have great staff and the schools have invested in many ways in the various needs of students' support and guidance, youth activities, investigative youth work, PT activities, prevention of school bullying and the versatile utilization of the operating environment. Children appreciate a wide circle of friends and various opportunities to influence. User satisfaction has been at an excellent level in measurements.
We give students the opportunity to enjoy new environments and support them on their new educational path.
In Hollola on March 28, 2025
Päivi Rahkonen
Mayor
