In the spring, Harstad municipality received a report of concern from the Salvation Army about a strong increase in disadvantaged people applying for food. Harstad municipal council has decided to ask the director of the municipality to investigate a new scheme for carrying out food distribution. The scheme is due to start in 2025. Cuts need to be made In order to start the food delivery scheme as early as autumn 2024, Rødt leader Hannah Parchat put forward a delivery proposal. She wants to cut all food service and catering at political meetings for the rest of the year, in order to instead give the money to the Salvation Army. Rødt estimates that they can save the municipality between NOK 100,000 and 300,000. – If all the municipal employees and students in the municipality can grease their lunch box every day when they go to school and work, the politicians can do it too. Parchat emphasizes that the municipality is in a difficult financial situation. – We turn over every stone to see where we can get money to finance important services and benefits in the municipality. Then it is also entirely appropriate to consider whether food service and catering for political meetings can be restricted. Believes it is about working conditions The Center Party and the Conservative Party in Harstad disagreed with Rødt’s proposal. – When it comes to food parcels, I don’t understand how it will help to reduce the need for food distribution and organization around it. This is what group leader in Harstad Høyre, Nina Dons-Hansen, writes in an e-mail. Dons-Hansen further writes that the Conservative Party is focused on the goal and the municipal council’s decision, namely the establishment of a food station in Harstad. – The administration is currently working on that, so we will have to assess the costs when we receive them. Deputy mayor Espen Ludvigsen says that the meetings can last a long time and that it is about giving the politicians good working conditions. LONG MEETINGS: Deputy Mayor Espen Ludviksen (SP) in Harstad will emphasize that politicians have long meetings, and that it is about giving the politicians good working conditions as well. Photo: Tora Jarnæs Vold – I have greased packed lunches for many years, so it should probably go just fine. But politicians have long days and many meetings. If we are going to get by with packed lunches, we may have to buy more. The municipal board has approx. ten to eleven meetings a year. There, both coffee and food will be served to the participants. – Completely normal 16-year-old Leander thinks the politicians should cut catering and give the money to those who need it. MAKE IT FUN: 16-year-old Leander in the center of Harstad thinks it’s appropriate for politicians to grease their own packed lunches before political meetings. Photo: Tora Jarnæs Vold – You don’t need to prey on others who need that money. I think it’s perfectly normal for them to do it themselves, he says about the food package proposal for Rødt. Others think it’s perfectly fine for politicians to treat themselves to some catering. PERFECT: Richard Bendiksen (50) stands on the quay in Harstad. He thinks it is perfectly fine for politicians to be served lunch when they are at work. Photo: Tora Jarnæs Vold – They do a fantastic job, says Richard Bendiksen (50) from Harstad. He thinks Harstad municipality should be able to afford to treat politicians to lunch. Press adviser for the Salvation Army, Håkon Løtveit confirms to news in an email that they have an increase in the needy and that they are happy that the municipality will take responsibility. – Harstad has had great success with our food distribution and we are very happy that the municipality is taking this seriously and looking at solutions. – In many places, we are not equipped for such an increase as we have seen in recent years, he concludes. Published 21.07.2024, at 13.18
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Red in Harstad will cut catering at political meetings – news Troms and Finnmark
