It is happening after a political earthquake with threats of exclusion and closure of party groups in the Labor Party. It is the three schools Espa, Åsbygda and Breidablikk in Ilseng that have now been decided to be closed. Espa school merges with Tangen. Åsbygda is merged with Vallset, while Breidablikk school in Ilseng is merged with Solvin and a new primary school is added in Romedal. There was also a proposal to close Espa kindergarten and move the children to Tangen, but there an alternative proposal to keep the kindergarten won the majority. The recommendation of the municipal director and the chairman’s committee, without the point to close the Espa track park, received a majority of 20 to 13 votes. Four representatives of the Labor Party, Conservative Party, Frp, Nærmiljølista, SV, Venstre and KrF voted for closures. Six from the Labor Party, as well as the Center Party, Rødt, Bygdelista and the Pensioners Party voted against. Acting mayor, Truls Gihlemoen (Frp) maintained that they have to change the school structure. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen / news Breakaways from the Labor Party There were four breakaways from the Labor Party who secured such a solid majority for the proposal. The Labor Party voted to retain the current school structure. In addition, the members’ meeting in Stange Arbeiderparti decided by a large majority to say no to school closures. The members’ meeting also decided to bind the municipal board group. So there were four representatives who chose not to follow. Group leader and acting deputy mayor Erik Kristiansen was one of the Labor representatives who went against the party group and against the members’ meeting, and voted to close the three schools. – Shall we be bound? I have settled on the municipal council being the highest political body, said Erik Kristiansen (Ap). The municipal council in Stange decided this evening to close three schools and a kindergarten. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen / news Many protesters Ahead of the meeting, security guards were hired to ensure that there were not too many people in the council chamber. There was no great pressure to get into the hall, but most of the places were filled. Outside the town hall, there was great support for the marking ahead. Both children and adults carried placards and shouted out their demands that all the village schools must be kept. Sondre Kristiansen Aarstad wants the school in Åsbygda to pass. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen / news The marking was organized by FAU at the schools Breidablikk, Espa, Åsbygda and Vallset, in addition to the kindergartens in Åsbygda, Espa and Vallset. The organizers had emphasized beforehand that it should be a child-friendly event, and that adults should be “good role models for the children.” There was singing and music and a calm atmosphere among the demonstrators outside the town hall. After the decision was made, only the posters remained outside the town hall. And this message that meets the politicians on the stairs when they leave the town hall tonight: The demonstrators left this greeting to the politicians on the steps outside the town hall in Stange. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen Now the politicians will start calculating and planning the changes, which must happen quickly. Espa school will be merged with Tangen from next school year. Åsbygda will be merged with Vallset from next school year, while Breidablikk school in Ilseng will be merged with Solvin and a new primary school will be added in Romedal. The new school is scheduled to be ready in autumn 2027. What is party democracy? There was tension before the municipal council meeting on Wednesday evening. Changes in the leadership, absenteeism from the meeting and, not least, the dispute within Stange Arbeiderparti gave room for uncertainty. During the membership meeting in Stange Ap on 28 November, there was an overwhelming majority in favor of keeping the current school structure. Out of 154 present, only 24 voted to close Åsbygda Espa schools. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen / news Nevertheless, several members of the Ap group of 10 members in the municipal council have said in advance that they will vote against this. The conflict has put a spotlight on how party democracy should function in political parties in Norway. So it was four representatives who did. Former deputy chairman of Stange Ap, Erik Nesbø, has given these his support. He believes that it is “partisan” to force elected officials to vote against their convictions, and that they have both the right and duty to think holistically. In an article in Hamar Arbeiderblad, Nesbø has written that certain local groups of the party in the village have strategically secured their own candidates for nomination meetings. He points out that there has been membership growth in the local teams in Espa and Åsbygda, where the schools have been proposed to be closed. He believes that “realistic and sustainable solutions are needed that can secure the school structure over time”, and that therefore school centralization cannot be avoided. There was a large press turnout and many listeners in the town hall in Stange when the school case was to be decided. Photo: Mette Finborud Børresen / news The membership meeting should decide Others in the party, on the other hand, believe that it is precisely the membership meeting in the party that is the cornerstone of party democracy. They believe that this is where the bedrock of the party comes into play, and that the municipal board group must follow the decisions from here. At the same time, they also claim that the party is committed to the party program from the election campaign, where it is promised that the school structure should not be touched. Published 13.11.2024, at 19.11 Updated 13.11.2024, at 20.48
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Stange municipal council has decided to close three primary schools – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
