There is complete confusion surrounding the mayoral succession in one of the country’s largest municipalities. Stavanger mayor Sissel Knutsen Hegdal announced last week that she would resign as mayor. The background is that during the election campaign in 2023 he used party funds for private consumption. Tonight there is a crisis meeting in the city council group for Stavanger Høgre. Sissel Knutsen Hegdal is among those who attend the group meeting. On the way in, the mayor did not wish to say anything about his future in politics. As far as news knows, this is the first time Sissel Knutsen Hegdal has met the city council group after she announced that she wished to step down as mayor. As far as news knows, this is the first time she has met the city council group after announcing her resignation. Photo: Erlend Handeland Tuastad / news In the first instance, it was the members of the group board of the city council group who met each other for talks. From six o’clock the entire city council group, including Sissel Knutsen Hegdal, will be in place. According to what news knows, Sissel Knutsen Hegdal will give an explanation to the city council group, before she travels on. The group will then discuss the way forward for the party in Stavanger. No other signal has been given about the agenda for tonight’s meeting. It is nevertheless expected that questions related to Hegdal’s departure, and who will possibly take over as mayor in Stavanger, will be discussed. Hegdal is still mayor On Wednesday, Stavanger municipality confirmed to Stavanger Aftenblad that Knutsen Hegdal had not sent an application for exemption from the mayoral post. – I am mayor until a possible application for exemption is filed. For the time being, I am on sick leave, she tells the newspaper. Acting group leader in Stavanger Høgre, Hilde Karlsen, told news on Wednesday that they are starting from the fact that Sissel Knutsen Hegdal has resigned from his position as mayor. Stavanger mayor Sissel Knutsen Hegdal announced last week that she would resign as mayor. The reason is that during the election campaign in 2023 he used party funds for private consumption. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news Deputy mayor Henrik Halleland (KrF) is acting mayor while Knutsen Hegdal is on sick leave. Høgre has previously announced that they want to find a new mayoral candidate among Høgre’s other members of the city council. Last Thursday, the police decided to open a case against Knutsen Hegdal. news has been in contact with the Sør-Vest police district, which says that as of now there are no new developments in the case. The case against Sissel Knutsen Hegdal concerns the following transactions on 16 January 2023: Online shopping with Klarna. Incorrect use of the city council group’s card on four occasions on the same day. A total of NOK 8,813. 18 February 2023: Purchase of a plane ticket from Stavanger to Alicante. The reason for the purchase was that Sissel Knutsen Hegdal had to buy a new ticket in connection with Erna Solberg’s visit to Stavanger. The travel bill lacks documentation documenting that a new plane ticket purchased with the city council group’s payment card compensates for a private outlay for the original trip. A total of NOK 4,901. 21 April 2023: Flight ticket to Oslo without documentation of a work-related agreement in Oslo. A total of NOK 3,479. 4 May 2023: Withdrawal of cash without documentation. A total of NOK 5,000. 13 June 2023: The city council group’s card was used to pay for a gift to a party member, at the same time that a fundraiser had taken place via Spleis for the same gift. A total of NOK 3,900. 26–27 September 2023: Tickets to Utopia and purchase of eight festival passes. Five of the festival passes were for Conservative Party politicians and entourages and were approved, but the other three festival passes for family members were not. The amount to be repaid totals NOK 11,996. 9 September 2023: Dinner with the family at Restaurant Vaar as a conclusion to the election campaign. A total of NOK 7,500. 13 September 2023: Dinner at Restaurant Harry Pepper on election day with spouse and a couple of friends. A total of NOK 4,000. 18 September 2023: Purchase of a plane ticket from Oslo to Stavanger to a person with no formal connection to the Conservative Party. A total of NOK 1,559. All amounts have been refunded. In total, we are talking about NOK 51,148. Source: Press release from the Conservative Party Published 12.09.2024, at 18.07 Updated 12.09.2024, at 19.46
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Here is mayor Sissel Knutsen Hegdal in place before a crisis meeting in Stavanger Høgre – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
