The matter in summary: Harstad municipality is in a challenging financial situation with an expected deficit of NOK 150 million in 2024. Despite the financial situation, there will be no cut in politicians’ salaries, which in several areas are higher than in comparable municipalities. A proposal to reduce the remuneration of committee leaders in order to save money was voted down. The Conservative Party proposed to cut the number of main committees from six to four (the number includes the chairmanship) to save money, but this was also voted down. Despite the municipality’s financial situation, it was decided to introduce differentiated rates for meeting allowances, which means cuts in the rates for some councils, committees and committees, but not for the municipal council and the chairmanship. Høyres estimates that your proposal for cuts in committee leaders’ remuneration and the number of committees could have saved the municipality almost NOK 700,000. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Norway is getting richer and richer. The oil fund now has a value of over NOK 18,000 billion, and had a return of NOK 1,478 billion in the first half of the year alone. In the municipalities, however, the trend is different. Half of the country’s municipalities ran a deficit in 2023. For some, it doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. In Harstad, the municipality is steering towards a heavy deficit of around NOK 150 million in 2024. Nevertheless, the salaries of the politicians, which in some areas are far higher than in comparable municipalities, will not be cut. DARK CLOUDS: In Harstad, the municipality is now managing a deficit of around NOK 150 million in 2024. This is just two years after the municipality was solidly in the red. Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / news Large pay differences There was a heated debate at the town hall in Harstad when the politicians in the chairmanship met recently. As a result of challenging municipal finances, the administration has proposed a change in the meeting allowance. In addition, they want the number of meetings in councils, committees and committees to be no more than 6–8 meetings a year. In comparison, several committees had over ten meetings in 2023. REACTS: Nina Dons-Hansen (H) is critical that the governing parties do not want to reduce the salary of the committee leaders, and believes the municipality should also reduce the number of committees. Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / news It is not enough, says Høyre group leader Nina Dons-Hansen. – We believe that consideration should be given to whether the remuneration of committee leaders should be reduced in line with the number of meetings. We have calculated this, and it will result in a saving of NOK 180,000, she said in the board meeting. news’s review of a bunch of random municipalities shows that the municipality’s committee leaders earn far more than in comparable municipalities. No to pay cuts Dons-Hansen himself suggested reducing the salary to NOK 87,052. Measures the mayor himself was not particularly enthusiastic about. – I believe that the savings will not come on packed lunches or meeting allowances, said Labor mayor Kari-Anne Opsal at the meeting. MUST SAVE: In 2022, the municipality delivered a solid profit of NOK 90 million. The municipality now estimates a negative result of NOK 150 million. Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / news When asked whether “small” savings are shielded from cuts, with reference to her own statement in the meeting, Opsal replies: – In connection with processing the third year, we adopted both short-term and long-term measures. Both small and large measures must then contribute to the savings, and nothing is shielded. The case that was brought forward and the position that was adopted contribute to savings, she says. The proposal to cut the remuneration of the committee leaders fell by four to five votes, which causes Dons-Hansen to react. – Others who take office must have their fees reduced, while the remuneration of committee leaders must remain fixed. It is incomprehensible to us, she says. The chairmanship decided unanimously at the meeting to introduce differentiated rates for meeting remuneration. This involves cuts in rates for certain councils, committees and committees. This will not involve changes to meeting allowances in the municipal council and the chairmanship. news has submitted the review of the salary and number of committees for mayor Opsal, where then group leader Stenhaug (Ap) has answered our inquiry. Several of news’s questions have not been answered. news’s questions news has asked mayor Kari-Anne Opsal (Ap) the following questions about the reviews news has carried out: Why does Harstad municipality have more main committees than comparable municipalities? Is it appropriate for the municipality to cut the number of committees in this period, and rather give greater tasks to the committees that are? Given the municipality’s financial situation, wouldn’t it then be appropriate to cut the number of committees? Stjørdal municipality cut from three to two committees, and both the mayor and committee leader culture and living conditions believe this has not gone beyond the proceedings. Shouldn’t Harstad also be able to cut the number of selections? The committees do not have decision-making authority. Is this appropriate to introduce? Over twice as many, Troms municipality also comes out poorly in the comparison of the number of selections in the same municipalities. news’s review shows that Stjørdal has two main political committees, while Harstad has five. Both municipalities have approximately 25,000 inhabitants. Stjørdal mayor Eli Arnstad (Sp) himself believes that two committees are enough. – We are concerned with being an efficiently run municipality and this also applies at the political level. Throughout all budget processes, we have agreed that there must be a political will to save money and review our way of working, says Arnstad. The municipality itself has cut the number of main committees from three to two. The municipality has assessed that this has not gone beyond the political proceedings, says the SP mayor. – We have reduced remuneration for the chairmanship and from this election period cut the number of representatives in the municipal council from 41 to 37, she says further. The politicians in Harstad themselves chose as recently as this autumn to set up a new committee for living conditions and inclusion. APS group leader Else Marie Stenhaug defends the creation. – This is an important political area of effort for the current political majority and will not be changed. We want greater focus on living conditions in Harstad and how we can promote good inclusion, she says. In his answer to news, Stenhaug points out that through a reduction in the number of meetings, differentiated meeting remuneration and savings on lost earnings, they will save close to half a million kroner. CUT: In Stjørdal, the municipality has cut the number of committees and the remuneration of the chairmanship, says mayor Eli Arnstad (th). here together with twin sister and SP politician Marit Arnstad. Photo: Mats Rønning / news When the municipality cut the number of main committees from three to two, this also meant more work for those who remained. Committee leader for culture and living conditions in Stjørdal, Rune Larsen (H), believes, like Arnstad, that this has not gone beyond the proceedings. He himself does not stand behind a cut in the remuneration of committee leaders, as the Conservative politician in Harstad suggested. – I don’t think they should do it. On the other hand, I think they should reduce the number of selections, and rather increase the burden per head, he says, and believes this is a “better way to go”. CUT: Stjørdal municipality currently has two main political committees. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news Larsen is himself a municipal politician, a county politician and an employee of a private company. He himself believes that it is important that the politicians also participate in cost reductions, while their salaries are in line with the work they do. – Everyone should feel that this is something they can get into without it affecting their personal finances too much, so that it is sustainable. – Arrogant Dons-Hansen himself put forward a proposal to cut the number of main committees from six to four (the number includes the chairmanship). Noe Høyre estimates that this will save up to NOK 480,000 a year. In the meeting, group leader Stenhaug stated that it is not relevant to change the committee structure in the current period, and referred to the cooperation agreement. That causes Dons-Hansen to react. – They refuse to change this during this period, which is a bit unbelievable and quite arrogant considering the economic situation we are in, she says. In total, the Conservative Party estimates that the proposals for cuts in the number of committees and remuneration for committee leaders would save the municipality almost NOK 700,000. Two proposals which were both voted down by four to five votes. When asked if it is “arrogant” not to cut political remuneration, given the municipality’s financial situation, Mayor Opsal replies: – I have become used to the Conservative Party using this type of rhetoric and characterizing others, among other things, as arrogant, she says. Read the full response to Kari-Anne Opsal: news has asked mayor Kari-Anne Opsal several questions in the matter. 1. Why did you not want to support the Conservative Party’s proposal to cut remuneration for committee chairpersons and the number of committees? – The matter of committee structures and remuneration regulations has previously been dealt with by the municipal council. The majority then decided that we should have the committee structure we have. The municipal board also gave in its meeting 18.6. his instructions on how the matter should be dealt with further, including that differentiation of meeting remuneration and meeting frequency should be considered. It was this part of the case that was up now. 2. The Conservative Party reacts to the fact that you voted against this during this period, and describes this as “a little unbelievable and quite arrogant” given the municipality’s financial situation. Is it arrogant of you not to cut political remuneration given the economic situation? – I have become used to the Conservative Party using this type of rhetoric and characterizing others, e.g. as arrogant. See my comment on that below. 3. In the meeting, you said that you do not think that either the food package proposal or cuts in remuneration will help in this situation, and thought that the municipality must look at the major structural issues. Should “small” savings be shielded from cuts, as these do not add up to much anyway? – We will save between 150 and 200 million on the operating budget annually. If we are to make it happen, everyone must tighten their belts (both politicians and the service units), and some major structural measures must also be taken. In connection with processing the third year, we adopted both short-term and long-term measures. Both small and large measures must then contribute to the savings, and nothing is shielded. The case that was brought forward and the setting that was adopted contribute to savings – see the case presentation. The Conservative Party would do more and save more, including changing the committee structure and the remuneration of committee leaders who are part of the ruling majority. The Conservatives are free to re-promote their views and fight back. My point was that the Conservatives were really serious about the whole political organization and the remuneration regulations being subject to a new decision, so one should look at the whole, not just the Conservatives’ proposals. For example, in the remuneration regulations that have been adopted, there is an opposition supplement of 4% for each representative in group remuneration, even though we are in a chairmanship system. We also have a group leader supplement of 10% regardless of whether the group has one member or ten. – The case that was put forward and the position that was adopted means that money is also saved in the political area. The matter is a follow-up to the deputy mayor’s proposal from the municipal council’s meeting in June – and not a proposal from the Conservative Party. In other words, there are more people than the Conservative Party who are concerned that money should be saved in several areas, both small and large amounts. We will probably also in the future disagree politically with the Conservative Party on several issues. There is no reason to consider it slightly unbelievable that you are shaken, or that you characterize others with other solutions as arrogant. 4. FRP put forward a proposal to cut the number of representatives in the municipal council. Is this relevant for you? – Yes. It was unanimously decided by the chairmanship that towards the end of the period we will receive a case that deals with both the committee structure and the number of municipal board members, so it is relevant to look at both parts in a longer perspective. Hello! Thank you for reading the matter! Do you have any tips for this case or similar cases? Feel free to send me an email! Published 28.08.2024, at 16.03
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Harstad municipality is struggling financially – will not reduce the salary of the politicians – news Troms and Finnmark
