The Norwegian Association for Local and Regional Authorities – KS Elita Cakule, KS 3 KS

National members’ association for local government – 428 municipalities – 19 counties – 500 public enterprises – Head Quarter in Oslo – 8 regional offices – Office in Brussels What is KS?

The roles of KS: Spokesman vis-à-vis central government Central collective bargaining organization Advisory and consultative body

Background: Working Group (1997) recommended increased regular contact – better demarcation and clearer lines of responsibility between the levels of administration Before 1997: Ad hoc contact regular contact meetings – info sharing 1999 working group established to look at the possibility of formalising the dialogue 2001 consultations were formalised No binding agreement Four meetings per year

Objective: Provide a forum to discuss:  the framework for distribution of revenues in relation to the tasks carried out by LGs  the financial situation of local government  efficiency measures Other objective is to:  reduce the use of strong steering mechanisms in LGs from CG, through common prioritisation and understanding re. use of resources ….thus increased freedom: local solutions!

The four annual meetings: 1st: Framework for LGs in next year’s state budget 2nd meeting: Reforms and development of service delivery – specific cases from ministries 3rd meeting: objectives met previous year re. service delivery; bilateral agreements; and reforms and development of the service delivery (possible alterations from the ministries) 4th meeting: Summary and clarification of the state budget re. LG finances, through a «Joint Document»

The platform and the collaboration agreement Collaboration agreement V, KrF, Frp and H and platform H/Frp: – “A Local Government Reform will be carried out, which will ensure that the necessary decisions are taken in this period” Platform – arguments: – “A more robust local government structure will secure increased competence and greater professionalism in each individual municipality” – “Larger and ore robust municipalities can take on greater tasks and responsibilities than today’s municipalities” – “The government will undertake a review of the responsibilities of the county councils, the county governors and the state with the aim of giving more power and authority to more robust municipalities” – “The emergence of intermunicipal companies and intermunicipal collaboration shows that today’s tasks are already too great for the current local government structure”

“What is important for us is a reform which results in more robust municipalities with greater local autonomy and a better local service provision” “We will approach the process by inviting co-operation with parliament.” Minister of Local Government and Modernisation, Jan Tore Sanner Nationen, Friday 18th October 2013

KS National Congress, 16th October 2013, on LG reform Any future reform decision in parliament must be built on a broad and stable majority It must start with a clear definition of which tasks the local and regional levels should fulfil in the future It must be developed in close collaboration with the local government sector, build on local processes and lead to increased municipal freedom More flexibility and less state micromanagement as part of a such reform can lead to increased support for the local It must consider decentralisation of tasks from central or state-regional authorities to larger elected regions