The day before a meeting about the future of a new housing estate in Levanger, Magne Nydal (KrF) sends an e-mail to the person who will host the meeting. Nydal sits on both the municipal council and the board of directors in Levanger municipality. In addition to the fact that he is a developer. The email started with “I know I’m incompetent…”. It is Mesterhus Levanger AS that will build the new housing estate Gjemble south. Magne Nydal owns 62 percent of the company, and is the day-to-day manager. Therefore he is incompetent. Nevertheless, he sends an e-mail to explain why he thinks the municipality, in which he himself is a politician, should approve the plan as it stands today. Those who are elected in Norwegian municipalities must represent all walks of life, points out researcher Gro Sandkjær Hanssen. She is a researcher at the Urban and Regional Research Institute at Oslo Met. She says that the municipality must reflect society, which also means that business actors must be represented in politics. But these have a special responsibility not to mix the roles they have. – Uryddig news has shown the e-mail to the local democracy researcher. She thinks it’s unfortunate. – In my opinion, this e-mail can be interpreted as an attempt to influence the decision in the case, as it goes to his advantage as a developer, says Hanssen. She calls it a lobby email. That he influences a politician outside the usual channels. It is unfortunate for trust, he believes. – People can experience it as untidy roles. That is what is at stake. We must be very attentive to the citizens’ trust in the municipal council as a popularly elected body, at a time when contempt for politicians is increasing. Then it is all the more important to be aware and avoid this type of role mixing. Researcher Gro Sandkjær Hanssen wants a larger debate about mixing roles in local politics. Photo: Tom Balgaard / news Professor of public law at UIO, Ole Kristian Fauchald, says he does not know the whole case. But still points out that, based on the e-mail, it seems as if he is trying to influence the outcome of the case. – Here it seems that the sender, despite the fact that he has declared that he is incompetent, still makes an attempt to influence the decision through direct contact with those who have the greatest influence, he says. Magne Nydal himself believes that the email was not an attempt to influence the outcome, and that it is completely unproblematic. – I am not sending it as a politician, but as Magne Nydal, carpenter. It was simply a factual statement. Magne Nydal (KrF) is elected to the municipal council in Levanger, and sits on the chairmanship. In addition, he is the day-to-day manager and part-owner of Mesterhus Levanger AS. Photo: Morten Waagø / news No overview There is no overview of how widespread the problem with double roles is. news has written several cases where politicians are criticized for behaving inappropriately. – There is reason to believe that there is a greater scope than what news has uncovered so far, says Hanssen. She points out that it is not normal for municipalities to act disorderly, but she believes it is important to have a public debate about the roles politicians have. Would like to have twice as many residential units Magne Nydal owns the plot of land in Gjemble south, where Mesterhus Levanger wishes to build a residential complex. The municipality had proposed that at least 60 dwellings could be built, but Mesterhus Levanger submitted an application to be allowed to build twice as many. This is what Gjemble looks like in the south with 60 and 130 housesNorconsult/Tuva Tagset news The State Administrator in Trøndelag was positive about it. Nydal also conveyed this to the leader of the planning selection, Bjørg Boneng. – Do you wish to influence the outcome by sending the e-mail? – No, I would like us to skip a third round, and start rebuilding the entire field again, says Magne Nydal. – Why did you write “I know I’m incompetent…”? – I have no answer to that. It’s just how you write when you send an e-mail. It is case information, she should have the case closed. The mayor of the municipality also supports Magne Nydal. She believes that no one was affected by the content of the e-mail. – How do you know that no one was affected by the content? – Based on what the content was. We also know this then. We talked about it afterwards, so we know that, says Anita Ravlo Sand (Sp). She also says that the municipal attorney has looked into the case and, according to the mayor, has concluded that nothing wrong has happened. The mayor of Levanger municipality, Anita Ravlo Sand (Sp). She thinks the email Magne Nydal sent was completely unproblematic. Photo: Morten Waagø / news The decision even allowed Mesterhus Levanger to build up to 130 houses. The recipient of the e-mail, Bjørg Boneng, also sees no problem with what she was sent. Nydal says they have not counted on whether 130 homes will make the project any more profitable. – I haven’t calculated it so carefully. It is a longer-term project that provides more long-term prospects for the company going forward, and employment in Levanger, he says. – No problem The local democracy researcher, Gro Sandkjær Hanssen, points out that it is important that politicians who have several roles should tread extra carefully, in order to maintain trust. Mayor Nydal thinks so. – In Nydal’s case, where he has been as orderly as he has been, and declared himself ineligible before all political meetings, and also did not participate in group meetings and discussions in the matters where he, as master builder, is involved, there is no problem with that, says Anita Ravlo Sand (Sp). Hi! Do you have any input for us after reading this case? Please contact.
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Incompetent KrF politician in Levanger sends e-mail about own housing development – news Trøndelag
