Fitjar municipality in Vestland is one of many small municipalities in Norway that receives extra subsidies from the state. The requirement for payment is that they must be under 3,200 resident years. And in 2023, they were expected to receive 4.1 million in extra government transfers. In addition, they were to receive an extra 3 million in 2024. But now all this is at risk. Cause. They have simply become residents of the municipality for too many years. At the beginning of December, they had just passed the limit of 3,205 inhabitants. Mayor Harald Rydland at Fitjar is giving away a baby blanket with a Fitjar map to all newborns. Now it may have contributed to tipping the population over the magical limit. Photo: Olav Røli / news Encouragement about births At the town hall, mayor Harald Rydland (KrF) follows the situation closely from hour to hour. The very last numbers showed a population of 3,202 – Yes, we are excited here in Fitjar these days, he admits. He emphasizes that he is happy about each new resident. But he wished that the number of residents was just under 3,200 at the turn of the year. – But the question is whether it will turn out that way, he says with a smile on his face. This is how the revenue system of Norwegian municipalities is structured The majority of Norwegian municipalities and county councils’ income (70 per cent) comes through discretionary income. Free income consists of framework grants and tax income. Tax revenues include income and wealth tax from personal taxpayers, and natural resource tax from power companies. The framework subsidy includes the resident subsidy. In addition, there will also be regional political subsidies and discretionary subsidies. Earlier in the autumn, a publicly discredited committee (Inntektsystemutvalet) delivered its report to Minister for Municipalities and Districts Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp). The proposal is now out for consultation, with a consultation deadline of 3 January. Source: Ministry of Local Government and Regional Affairs In 2021, only 16 children were born in the municipality. The mayor characterizes this as a catastrophic year for child births. That is why he went out and encouraged people in the municipality to have more children. And now he has received an answer to the indictment. In 2022, there are, and will be, a total of 33 children in the municipality. – This could have been an expensive encouragement? – Yes, but luckily getting more residents also has an economic upside, says the mayor. Here, one of the new residents at Fitjar this year. Vetle Oliver was born in November, and has received a blanket from the municipality. Photo: Private Aukar population 22-year-old Ailin Vik from Fitjar has busy days at home with her sons Matheo (3) and Noah (1) on the property in rural surroundings. – Population growth is positive, but it’s funny that there isn’t a more even ladder for such payments, she says. The stomach is also growing, and in March 2023 she and her roommate Mathias Bratli are expecting a new addition to the family. These municipalities are closest to Fitjar in terms of population as of 1 January 2022. Several Norwegian municipalities have around 3,200 inhabitants and receive additional subsidies. * Lund municipality, Rogaland: 3,178 inhabitants * Sør-Fron, Innlandet: 3,064 inhabitants * Vanylven, Møre and Romsdal: 3,045 inhabitants * Tingvoll, Møre and Romsdal: 2,960 inhabitants * Askvoll, Vestland: 2,951 inhabitants There are a total of 136 municipalities that receive district subsidy Southern Norway. Municipalities can also receive this subsidy if they exceed 3,200 inhabitants. This if they score low on the district index. Source: Ministry of Local Government and District Affairs – I absolutely feel that I have contributed to increasing the population in Fitjar, she says, while running after her sons who are playing outside with a toy tractor. Since she is pregnant, she is not allowed to travel out to work for Archer on the Statfjord field. – It’s busy with two little ones, but they get on well with each other, she says. Mathias Bratli and Ailin Vik together with their sons Matheo and Noah out in the garden. They are very happy at Fitjar, where they have a lot of help from family. Photo: Olav Røli / news – Should have been positive Helene Volden de Fine (22) moved back to her home municipality with roommate Jan Audun Taraldsen in July. And in November, son Oliver was born. Fitjar can thus record three new resident years. – Now one government after another has encouraged us to have more children. Then it is stupid that this leads to the municipality losing state support. It should be very good for young people to move back and have children, she says. In addition to several births, the municipality has also received several refugees this year. In sum, this could tip the population over the magic limit, and give the municipality financial challenges. – We are facing a demanding financial year in the municipality, says the mayor. Helene Volden de Fine and Jan Audun Taraldsen moved to Fitjar this summer, and in November their son Oliver arrived. She thinks it is strange that the municipality is being punished for increasing the population. Photo: Privat Organized torchlight processions Sunnhordland has had several cases of tough budget cuts in the municipality. And last Monday, a torchlight procession was organized against cuts in the health and care sector in the 2023 budget. – I get angry and despondent, and I feel like I’m having heart palpitations, said chief union representative in the Trade Union, Turid Johanne Dalen, during the commemoration. Among other things, they are reacting to cuts in the sector, and believe this goes beyond the entire range of services in the municipality. But they fight in vain. The budget, with cuts in the health and care budget, was adopted last week. Turid Johanne Dalen in the Trade Union in Fitjar is worried about major cuts in the municipal budget in 2023. Last week there was a torchlight procession in the municipality. Photo: Eli Bjelland / news Waiting for compensation Deputy mayor Sigurd André Maraas (Frp) believes it is unfair that the municipality’s residents are punished for accepting refugees and for having more children. – This is both painful and difficult. We welcome refugees with a good heart, at the same time as we lose subsidies. It is not the way it should be, he says. He believes that refugees should not be included in the list of citizens. This is because many are middle-aged residents. Municipal and District Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) wrote in an e-mail to Dagbladet that no municipality should lose out on accepting refugees. – I have a clear expectation that we will be compensated so that we do not lose out on accepting refugees, says Maraas. Journalist Do you have any thoughts after reading this case, or would you like to let us know about similar or other cases. Send me an email.
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