This year you will decide who will govern your municipality. But you have far fewer to vote for. The explanation is that a number of municipalities are cutting the number of politicians. The trade magazine Kommunal Rapport has counted how many fewer politicians there will be. The overview shows that 28 municipalities have decided to cut a total of 155 politicians. It is especially new municipalities (after the merger in 2020) that reduce the number of municipal board representatives. Senja municipality in Troms is among those who have made the biggest cut. They removed a third of the municipal council. Municipalities that cut politicians Photo: Peder Otto Dybvik / NPK Troms and Finnmark Senja from 45 to 31 (14 pcs.) Hammerfest from from 35 to 29 (6 pcs.) Nordland Narvik from 41 to 31 (10 pcs.) Brønnøy from 27 to 23 (4 pcs.) Trøndelag Ørland from 35 to 31 (4 pcs.) Åfjord from 27 to 23 (4 pcs.) Orkland from 51 to 43 (8 pcs.) Indre Fosen from 37 to 29 (8 pcs.) Stjørdal from 41 to 37 (4 pcs.) Nærøysund from 37 to 27 (10 pcs.) Steinkjer from from 47 to 39 (8 pcs.) Midtre Gauldal from 25 to 23 (2 pcs.) Leka from 15 to 13 (2 pcs.) Meråker from 21 to 17 (4 pcs.) Holtålen from 15 5 to 11 (4 pcs.) Møre and Romsdal Molde from 59 to 49 (10 pcs.) Heim from 45 to 37 (8 pcs.) Fjord from 23 to 19 (4 Ålesund from 77 to 47 (30 units, of which 27 go to the new Haram municipality) Vestland Sunnfjord from 45 to 37 (8 units) Stad from 33 to 31 (2 units) Sogndal from 37 to 31 (6 units .) Inland Lillehammer from 47 to 39 (8 pcs.) Stange from 35 to 33 (2 pcs.) Agder Kristiansand from 71 to 57 (14 pcs.) Lyngdal from 35 to 29 (6 pcs.) Viken Vestby from 35 to 27 (8 pcs.) Nore og Uvdal from 23 to 21 (2 pcs.) A total of 155 fewer municipal council representatives – A higher number of elected representatives means higher expenses. The reduction in Senja from the next period means an annual saving of around one million kroner, says mayor Tom Rune Elisussen (Sp). – It is important that they do not become too thin Jacob Aars is a professor at the Department of Politics and Administration (UiB). He tells news that, historically, there have been many municipal council representatives in Norway, and that this has “provided a broad contact surface between intermediate voters and those who are elected”. He warns that “elite assemblies” will weaken this connection. – It is important that the municipal council is not stretched too thin. Over time, it can overwhelm democratic control, and in addition weaken recruitment. Local Government Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) questions how much money can be saved by cutting the number of representatives in the municipal council. Photo: Kristoffer Steffensen Lenes / news Vestby in Follo has cut the number of municipal board representatives from 35 to 27. Vestby newspaper writes that the municipality saves NOK 480,000 as a result. – We have a very tight budget. Here we can save half a million kroner a year on what we are doing ourselves, said Knut Toftner from Bygdelista to the opponents during a meeting in the municipality before Christmas. Stad municipality with over 9,000 inhabitants considered cutting from 33 to 27. But a divided municipal council meant that they instead ended up at 31. Mayor Gunnar Silden (V) wanted to cut even more (down to 29). Sogndal municipality with over 12,000 inhabitants cut from 37 to 31. Mayor Arnstein Menes (Sp) says they save around NOK 250,000 on the decision. – We wanted to save something financially. The number of members is also closely linked to the principle of consistent representation, he says. Scene from a municipal council meeting in Sandnes before Christmas. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news Wanted more politicians Kinn municipality considered cutting from 39. But there was no change. Even though Jacob Nødseth (V) proposed increasing the number to 43. – It is a fallacy when municipalities want to save money by cutting some hobby politicians who engage in politics in their spare time. We need more politicians who can participate and govern. It is important for democracy, he says. NOT MANY ENOUGH: Jacob Nødseth (V) in the middle would prefer to be surrounded by even more politicians at a municipal council meeting. Here he is with colleagues in Kinn. Photo: Bård Siem / news news has tried to find a complete overview of how many fewer local politicians there will be. But neither the State Administrator nor the Ministry of Local Government knows the number. The closest thing is the investigations for the Municipal Report. Political editor Agnar Kaarbø says several of the merged large municipalities are now cutting the number of representatives. – When these were established, it was of course important to ensure that all parts of the large municipality were well represented. Then you take a bit of a hit in terms of the number of representatives. Municipalities Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) says it must be up to each individual municipality how many politicians should sit on the municipal council, but adds: – I don’t think it is the number of municipal council representatives that constitutes the biggest cost in a municipality. Scene from a municipal council meeting in Alta last year. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news
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Municipalities cut the number of politicians to save money – news Vestland
