State and municipality – governance and interaction: «Municipalities need freedom»

«The government wants municipalities and counties with room to manoeuvre. Good and effective social welfare services and vibrant local communities require a strong municipal sector with plenty of freedom,» says Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Liv Signe Navarsete.

On Friday, the Minister presented the report on principles of the relationship between the state and the municipalities. This establishes the principle of financial and legal framework management of the municipalities.

«The alternative is detailed state management,» says Navarsete. She believes that some trends and political forces are pulling in the wrong direction – towards stronger state government.

The principle that all municipalities, regardless of size, must handle the same tasks, is also established in the report.

«This forms the basis for equal services, adapted locally for all citizens regardless of where they live in Norway,» says Navarsete.

«The government is establishing the basis for a further development of strong local democracies. Good social welfare is a product of positive interaction between a strong municipal sector and a state that knows what it wants, but leaves it to the municipalities to find the good solutions,» says Navarsete.

«The variations between municipalities and regions are substantial, and this is often the case for the challenges as well. It is therefore important to ensure that it is the local democratically elected representatives who make the decisions for the individual citizen, as they know the local conditions best. The principles of this report form a basis for good welfare services and healthy social development all over Norway for many years to come,» says Navarsete.

Navarsete believes the most important measures in the report are in three areas:

• When formulating new legislation, we will clearly highlight the trade-off between national concerns and the consequences for the municipalities’ freedom of action. We will also ensure that the municipalities can participate in these processes.
• When considering new, individual rights, we must always consider solutions that allow for maximum local adaptation. As alternatives to such individual rights, the state must consider whether introducing a duty on part of the municipalities to offer a service may be equally focused. This provides greater flexibility. The government will not make new proposals relating to individual rights before we have thoroughly evaluated the legislation in this area.
• We will ensure more focused guidance for the municipalities, as requested. The state will not order the municipalities to report statistics that are not actively used. We will also start a review of the development in the directorates to look at how this has impacted the municipalities’ freedom of action.

«We need national management in important areas, but the management must be focused and rational. I believe that dialogue and interaction as regards development measures will often provide better results than strong management measures,» says Navarsete.

• Storting report ”State and municipality – management and interaction”: Stat og kommune - styring og samspel
• Web TV from the press conference in connection with the Storting report on 10 February 2012
• Hashtag: #statkommune

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s media line: +47 22 24 25 00.