Oostende (Ostende)

What did the municipal council decide?

The items the municipal council dealt with in recent months. Items about individuals (staff, permits, councillors’ questions…) are shown without details.

Source: Lokaal Beslist (Flemish government), published by the municipality.

How does Oostende handle money?

From the 2024 annual accounts of the municipality and the public social welfare centre combined. Amounts per inhabitant, so you can compare municipalities.

Does the municipality have money left over? Yes: after day-to-day running costs and repaying loans, € 109 per inhabitant was left to invest.

What did Oostende spend the most on?

Breakdown of spending on day-to-day running (excluding investments).

• Care and social assistance Public social welfare centre, childcare, care for older people and help for people in poverty 30%
• Governance and administration the town hall, staff, service desks and buildings 24%
• Police and fire service the contribution to the police zone and the emergency services zone 16%
• Culture, sport and leisure library, sports hall, cultural centre and youth work 8%
• Business and employment markets, local economy and employment 6%
• Housing and building building permits, social housing and neighbourhoods 5%
• Waste, nature and environment waste collection, sewers, parks and green spaces 4%
• Roads and mobility streets, pavements, cycle paths and parking 3%
• Loans and finances interest on loans and collecting taxes 3%
• Schools and education municipal schools, school buildings and academies 1%

In 2014 the municipality spent € 3,041 per inhabitant; in 2024, € 4,178 (in euros of that year, not adjusted for inflation).

Source: Flemish Agency for Home Affairs, Gemeente- en Stadsmonitor (BBC-DR). Your municipality's budget and multi-year plan can be found in the BBC-beleidstool.

Subsidies for organisations from Oostende

In 2025, 402 organisations from Oostende received a total of € 174.1 million in subsidies.

The municipal administration itself often also receives subsidies from higher levels of government. Self-employed people and other individuals are not counted here.

Who received the most?

1. STAD OOSTENDE € 83.7 million€ 83,687,009
2. OPENBAAR CENTRUM VOOR MAATSCHAPPELIJK WELZIJN VAN OOSTENDE € 18.7 million€ 18,702,513
3. WOONSPRONG € 13.5 million€ 13,460,207
4. SQUATINA € 9.5 million€ 9,518,902
5. PETRUS & PAULUS € 4.8 million€ 4,812,472

Work contracted out by public bodies in Oostende

These are the larger public contracts of public bodies with their address in this municipality: the municipality itself, but also, for example, a hospital, a school or a ministry.

In 2026, they awarded 50 contracts, worth € 181.9 million in total.

Which public bodies awarded the most contracts?

1. Vlaamse Overheid 13 contracts
2. Stad Oostende 10 contracts
3. Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn van Oostende 6 contracts
4. AZ Oostende 5 contracts
5. Woonsprong bv 5 contracts

The latest contracts

Companies from Oostende that won government work

In 2026, companies and organisations from Oostende won 16 public contracts across Belgium.

1. FIRE TECHNICS 6 contracts
2. REMONDIS WEST-VLAANDEREN 2 contracts
3. TOP-MIX 2 contracts
4. BEAUVENT 1 contract
5. NOORDZEE HELIKOPTERS VLAANDEREN 1 contract