New construction of the Witzwil regional prison
The Bernese Government Council presents the Grand Council with financing proposals for the new construction of the Witzwil regional prison, including the relocation of agricultural buildings in order to continue prison operations without the use of temporary facilities.
The plans to modernise the prison infrastructure in the canton of Bern are taking shape. The new building is to be financed with a total budget of CHF 13.5 million, which the cantonal government has now submitted to the cantonal parliament. This step is part of a comprehensive strategy to modernise the prison system, which is set out in the Canton of Berne’s master plan.
CHF 12 million has been earmarked for the competition to ensure the best possible realisation of the new building project. The need for this new building arises from the condition of the existing Biel/Bienne regional prison and the requirement to provide adequate support for the closed prison system. The clarifications on prison space requirements and operating costs requested by the Grand Council in advance have now been provided, which means that the project is based on solid data.
In addition, the realisation of the new building requires the relocation of a number of agricultural buildings that are essential for prison operations in Witzwil. In order to avoid expensive interim solutions, it is proposed to construct these buildings from scratch, for which an additional CHF 1.5 million has been budgeted.
The vote on these financing proposals is scheduled for the 2024 summer session of the Grand Council. The approval of these loans will not only advance the urgently needed modernisation of correctional facilities in the Canton of Bern, but also ensure an efficient and sustainable solution for the accommodation of offenders.