Who makes decisions about Zwalm?
Three levels of government each decide on their own topics.
Your municipality
The municipal council and the mayor and aldermen decide on matters such as streets, waste collection, sports halls, libraries and the public social welfare centre.
We do not show municipal council decisions yet: there is no open data for all municipalities yet.
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament decides on matters such as education, housing, mobility, the environment, child benefit and care.
Recently discussed
- Call for transparency on budget cuts and advertising plans at VRT
- Proposal to shift funds towards fixing dangerous Flemish cycle paths
- Proposal to postpone and review cultural budget cuts in Flanders
Federal Chamber
The Chamber decides on matters such as pensions, taxes, justice, the police, defence and health insurance.
Recently discussed
- New rules for sustainability reporting by companies
- Protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products
- Proposal for a national pact to improve disease prevention
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.
Meeting of 15 September 2026
- Other item (see the details at the municipality)
- Gemeentelijke administratieve sancties - protocolakkoorden verkeer - update - bekrachtiging
- Aanvullend politiereglement houdende invoeren van parkeerplaatsen met beperkte parkeertijd langs de Zuidlaan
- Make-up of the municipal council or the board of aldermen (oath, resignation, replacement)
- Ontwikkeling van een nieuwe gemeentelijke website - onderhandelingsprocedure zonder voorafgaande bekendmaking - lastvoorwaarden en gunningswijze - goedkeuring
- Politiezone Vlaamse Ardennen - begrotingswijziging - machtiging aan de burgemeester - dotatie - goedkeuring
- Reglement op het gebruik van het gemeentelijk containerpark - goedkeuring en hercoördinatie
- Other item (see the details at the municipality)
- Goedkeuring notulen vorige zitting
- Afvalbelastingsreglement (DifTar) voor het gebruik van het containerpark en voor de huis-aan-huisinzameling van restafval, GFT en grof vuil voor de periode 01.11.2026 tot en met 31.12.2031 - goedkeuring en hercoördinatie
- Aanpassing subsidiereglement Buitenschoolse Opvang en Activiteiten (BOA) Zwalm - goedkeuring en hercoördinatie
Source: Lokaal Beslist (Flemish government), published by the municipality.
How does Zwalm 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.
Revenue
€ 1,341 per inhabitant
taxes, money from higher authorities, charges…
53% less than the Flemish average
Spending
€ 1,715 per inhabitant
day-to-day running and investments
41% less than the Flemish average
Debt
€ 160 per inhabitant
what the municipality still has to repay on its loans
87% less than the Flemish average
Does the municipality have money left over? Yes: after day-to-day running costs and repaying loans, € 198 per inhabitant was left to invest.
What did Zwalm spend the most on?
Breakdown of spending on day-to-day running (excluding investments).
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Governance and administration the town hall, staff, service desks and buildings 40%
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Care and social assistance Public social welfare centre, childcare, care for older people and help for people in poverty 13%
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Culture, sport and leisure library, sports hall, cultural centre and youth work 12%
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Roads and mobility streets, pavements, cycle paths and parking 10%
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Waste, nature and environment waste collection, sewers, parks and green spaces 8%
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Police and fire service the contribution to the police zone and the emergency services zone 8%
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Housing and building building permits, social housing and neighbourhoods 6%
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Loans and finances interest on loans and collecting taxes 2%
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Business and employment markets, local economy and employment 1%
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Schools and education municipal schools, school buildings and academies 0%
In 2014 the municipality spent € 1,080 per inhabitant; in 2024, € 1,715 (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 Zwalm
In 2025, 67 organisations from Zwalm received a total of € 11.6 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?
- AMON € 7,279,908
- GEMEENTE ZWALM € 3,315,915
- VARIANT € 320,682
- OPENBAAR CENTRUM VOOR MAATSCHAPPELIJK WELZIJN VAN ZWALM € 221,547
- BOEM € 143,260
Work contracted out by public bodies in Zwalm
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.
We have not found any large public contracts from public bodies in this municipality yet.
What is not here yet?
- The decisions of your municipal council.
- Smaller public contracts, below the European thresholds.