The economic crisis in Grue municipality has been precarious for a long time. And now it is proposed that the municipality should increase the overdraft facility from NOK 40 to NOK 80 million. This is done to ensure that the employees will receive their December salary. It was Glåmdalen who first wrote about the matter. – You are taken a little to bed Marianne Vangerud, teacher at Grue primary school, was surprised by the news. – You are a bit taken aback when you read that there is so much money in short supply. You will be, she says. TEACHER: Marianne Vangerud was amazed at how many millions Grue is in the red. Photo: Reidar Gregersen / news Vangerud says the economic situation has left its mark on the school. In order to save money, the municipality has, among other things, merged schools into one primary and secondary school, and savings are constantly being made on a daily basis. – We don’t have a lot of money to go to school with. So we have to find many good solutions with little money, in the situation we have. So yes, it is noticeable. Everyone must contribute, she says. However, the teacher chooses not to worry about whether she gets paid. – I trust the municipality and that the salary comes at a fixed time. – Moving towards a Robek registration Mayor Rune Grenberg (Ap) says Grue municipality has had strained finances over time, and that he takes the situation seriously. – There is an increase in the overdraft that the municipal director has put forward that we politicians must take a stand on. This has also happened in the past where it has been necessary, he says, and points out: – The critical thing here is how the municipal economy has worsened over several years. MAYOR: Rune Grenberg from the Labor Party says the municipality has taken many measures to save money, but that it is not enough. Photo: Reidar Gregersen / news The mayor assures that people will get their money into their account in the Christmas month. – We can guarantee that everyone will get their salary in December, and beyond as well, he says. Grenberg cites demanding economic times, beyond the municipality’s control, as one of the reasons. – Without a buffer of fund funds, it seems that things are moving towards a Robek registration for Grue municipality, he says. To be decided by the State Administrator From before, 12 municipalities in Norway are on the Robek list, including two of the municipalities neighboring Grue. The mayor of Grue says a Robek decision will be decided in the future. The next step in the handling of the financial situation is the chairman’s meeting on Monday 20 November. There, a proposal for a budget and action plan must be adopted, which will then be presented to the municipal council later. – Any inclusion in the Robek list will be decided when the politicians have adopted the final budget and action plan. Then the State Administrator will possibly step in and look at it, says Grenberg. Neighboring municipalities are also struggling Director of Municipal Affairs and Coordination at the State Administrator in the Interior, Anne Kathrine Fossum, partially agrees with the mayor as to why Grue is struggling financially. – They have a challenging public health profile, with a large proportion of elderly people. There are also many young people who are outside working and social life, who need services from the municipality, says Fossum. EXPLANATOR: Anne Kathrine Fossum says there are several reasons why Grue is struggling. Photo: Reidar Gregersen She believes the corona pandemic made the situation even more difficult. – The pandemic caused us to fall behind with a restructuring. And Grue is not alone in struggling in Solør. The neighboring municipalities of Åsnes and Våler are already on the Robek list. Fossum says the State Administrator tries to help the municipalities that are struggling the most. – The municipalities must find the solutions, but we follow them closely, she says. – Putting our health tasks to the test Mayor Grenberg i Grue says they have done a number of things to save money and improve the financial situation. This has led to major changes in the municipality in recent years. – We have combined to form a joint school, we have co-located nursery school. We are there in Grue now, as the country will be in 2040. We have closed nursing home places and day center services. – We have taken the measures within internal frameworks that we thought would be enough. But it is not, he says. Grenberg points to the age composition in the municipality. – We have a lot of elderly people. It puts our health tasks to the test, we have to deliver even more on the health side and cut back on the upbringing side. We have done that for many years, he says.
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Will increase overdraft by 40 million to be able to pay the employees for Christmas
