– When I saw that Fitjar municipality could lose this grant, I thought I could contribute a little. So then there was a move, says student Emil Sæterbø Fitjar (25). And several students have thought like him. It has probably saved the poor Westland municipality from a solid blow to the wallet. Here is the reason: Small municipalities receive an extra subsidy from the state. If the population exceeds 3,200 before the New Year, Fitjar will lose support of NOK 7 million. Earlier in December, the population was 3,205. But after students have reported moving from their home place, the population has dropped to 3,192 people, writes newspaper Sunnhordland, which first mentioned the case. Mayor Harald Rydland (KrF) is very satisfied with the young people moving from the village, at least in the interim. – I must be honest that I have tipped off some of my closest friends that this is a possibility. It may have been decisive for us to stay under 3,200 inhabitants, he says. 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 Districts – It doesn’t really matter if I’m registered in Fitjar or Bergen. In any case, I will travel home often, and think it is a nice thing to do for Fitjar municipality, says student Emil Fitjar. Photo: Privat Wants the children to grow up in Fitjar Fitjar is one of many small municipalities in Norway that receives extra subsidies from the state. But the requirement for the payment is that they must be under 3,200 resident years. This is today’s subsidy: Within the current framework subsidy, several subsidies are given in addition to the resident subsidy. These subsidies are mainly based on regional political considerations: District subsidy Southern Norway will look after municipalities in southern Norway with weak social development, with a small municipality supplement for municipalities with less than 3,200 inhabitants. District grant Northern Norway is given to all municipalities in Northern Norway and Namdalen, with a small municipality supplement for municipalities with less than 3,200 inhabitants. The growth grant is given to municipalities with particularly high population growth. The metropolitan subsidy is given to Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansand and Drammen. The regional center subsidy was established in connection with the municipal reform. This is given to municipalities where a national decision on amalgamation has been made during the period of the municipal reform, and which after the amalgamation will have over approximately 8,000 inhabitants. In addition, a discretionary grant is given to compensate for local conditions that are not captured in the fixed part of the income system. source: Regjeringen.no Emil Sæterbø Fitjar, who studies in Bergen, says that it is a bit painful to announce a move away from your home village. – But I hope to come back in a few years. It is a wonderful village with wonderful people, so this is the least I can do, he says. – I have had a fantastic upbringing here. If I am lucky enough to have children, I would like them to grow up here. Whether they should announce a move has been a topic in student Fitjar’s group of friends. He knows that five of them have also made the same choice as him. Do the young people want to return – in the long term There has been an unnerving atmosphere in the municipal management before Christmas. Mayor Rydland is now breathing a sigh of relief. – But it’s a bit sad to lose these young people, isn’t it? – Yes, it is. But I encourage them to come back as soon as they can. Because we would like to have more residents, and give full throttle to increase the population again after the turn of the year, says Rydland. – Have you heard of other mayors who have encouraged young residents to report moving from their hometown? – No, I don’t have it. And it’s only online when I do it. I probably won’t do it later. The mayor says that this is the big talk in the village. – I meet people at the shop who wonder how things are going with the population. Some of them say they will move to Fitjar, but that they will wait until after the New Year. They are thinking about our municipal economy. Harald Rydland (KrF) is the mayor of Fitjar. Photo: Eli Bjelland / news The student is crossing his fingers The 25-year-old, who has now announced his move to the study city of Bergen, is keeping a close eye on developments in the days before the New Year. – It looks very promising, but you never know. I’m crossing my fingers that it will last, he says. Emil Sæterbø Fitjar is part of a large group of friends, who call themselves Fitjar Bart. They are among the largest Norwegian contributors to the Movember cancer campaign. Photo: Privar
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In this Vestland municipality, they are happy that the young people are moving away – news Vestland
