Wasting away 130 million each year – Aftenbladet.no

The figures come from councilors in the three municipalities that keeps on studying one storkommune with the working name Fjord.

Small municipalities are very expensive to operate. By turning Hjelmeland (2800 inhabitants) and Forsand (1200) along with that Strand (12.400 inhabitants), there are over 100 million to save each year, according to councilors. They have obtained the figures from QA consultant.

Greater skepticism reform

It is increasingly EiT fleirtal in Rogaland who want bigger municipalities but resistance heightens, also in Stavanger.

Ryfylke municipalities have great power revenues, but they could have been much higher. Because the population in Hjelmeland and Forsand is so low, they miss of around 30 million million annually. At a municipality merging the population will be so large that these power proceeds going to greatly municipality.

As before?

This is clear from a note councilors Jon Ola Syrstad, Day Flack and Søren Jensen made about what is required to to continue as three municipalities:

1. Collaboration. If there are municipal amalgamation, it needed more intermunicipal cooperation. All three municipalities is now less than that necessary to manage the tasks alone. They currently work on emergency, fire, tax collection, adult education and much more. Besides working on plans for joint emergency overnight services, child welfare and security technology.

2. Frame Transfer. The main premise to pass as separate municipalities is that the revenue system must not be substantially worse for the small municipalities. Government has announced a full review of municipal income system from 2017. Riset behind the mirror is that mini municipalities who oppose municipalities shape, risk getting less money to spend.

3. Streamlining. One must accept that without merging municipalities goes missing 100 million in annual savings. For example needed just a councilman, not three, it is pointed out in the note. The money saved to cut the number of bosses, can be used to strengthen efforts in everything from schools to community nursing.

4. Power Tax. Without merger goes municipality miss 30 million in annual power revenues. This must be acknowledged.

5. Expertise. Requirements for Municipal-Norway are increasing. The smallest municipalities are struggling already providing enough professionals, and the requirements for competence increases. By continuing as before they accept that gap increases between the skills municipality has at its disposal and the skills necessary.

6. Workplaces. There are a total of 1,500 employees in the three municipalities today. Around 85 of these must change office location to Jørpeland, if it becomes storkommune. By keeping voted municipality, many of these have to commute. But further development of inter-municipal cooperation means that some of the jobs in Forsand and Hjelmeland matter becomes omlokaliserte Jørpeland.

7. Local Policies. Councilors suggests that today are close ties between citizens and those who govern. Some people and groups have easier access to municipal peaks, and can thus have a greater impact. This challenges the requirement of equal treatment and fairness. Close ties can also lead to trust issues. By continuing as three municipalities, slips opportunity healthier distance.

8. New tasks. Government plans for municipalities to have multiple tasks. If there are municipal amalgamation, it can be difficult for the three municipalities to take on new tasks.

9. Development Kraft. By pooling resources in a storkommune can ryfylkingene achieve more than they can individually. By keeping voted own municipalities one agrees municipal organization will not have the development power needed.

Meetings minister

Today, the three mayors meet municipal Minister Jan Tore Sanner to discuss large municipality Ryfylke. For mayor Trine L. Danielsen in Hjelmeland there is one thing that is particularly important.

– The big question is whether the municipal economy is going to fall in fish for the small municipalities, or whether everything is as before, says she said.

The municipalities should be completed with the study this summer.

Update: After the meeting was Danielsen lofty.

– This went beyond all expectations. When it comes to finances is to be expected that there will be changes, but the details are not clear. The municipalities that are early will keep the current grants and get the benefit of determining much even. Details on border adjustments against Finney and Suldal is best to leave out. This can be taken eventually, says the mayor of Hjelmeland.

The colleague in Forsand, Ole Tom Guse, took up Høgsfjordferja, a perpetual controversy even though Parliament has decided that the ferry should be shut down when Ryfast opens. The question is whether the authorities still refuse ferry services in private or municipal auspices? If the answer is yes, wondered Guse if the answer change if Forsand merged with Sandnes so Høgsfjordsambandet becomes an internal, municipal ferry service?

– It is important for the process of Ryfylke that we get a clear answer. If it is possible to maintain the ferry, it’s probably a majority to study with Sandnes. Without ferry Sandnes excluded and then we have the choice between storkommune or maintaining Forsand. We did not answer from the minister at the meeting, but he promised to provide answers. I hope it becomes apparent, said Guse.

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