Building a better society

Transcription

1 A visible partner Building a better society A presentation of Møre and Romsdal County Authority

2 Our Commitment to Society In this booklet, you will find a presentation of Møre and Romsdal County Authority, our commitment to society and our most important responsibilities, and how the county authority is organised and work. The top elected official of the county authority is the county mayor (Norwegian: fylkesordfører). The county council (Norwegian: fylkesting) is the supreme governing body of the county authority. The chief county executive (Norwegian: fylkesrådmann) is head of the county authority administration. The county authority s budget for 2012 is approximately NOK 3.2 billion. The two sectors public roads and transport and further education account for the highest expenditure. Møre and Romsdal County Authority is one of the largest employers in the county, with about 2,500 employees. About 2,000 of these work at the 23 upper secondary schools and 2 vocational schools in the county, while about 200 work in the 37 dental clinics. About 250 work in the central administration. Møre and Romsdal County Authority is committed by the Norwegian parliament to deliver on important issues in society and to promote a desired development of our region. Our commitment is to be responsible for delivering welfare services with a particular responsibility for regional development. Aims for regional development are described in the regional master plan for Møre and Romsdal. We fulfil our responsibilities in partnership with municipalities, businesses and organisations in the county. The county authority is also a democratic arena where inhabitants are given the opportunity to participate and influence regional development. The county council is the regional popularly elected body, with the county mayor as its chief political head. Contents Our Commitment to Society 3 The County of Møre and Romsdal 5 Popularly Elected Government 6 Main Responsibilities 8 Provider of Welfare Services 10 A Regional Developer 13 A Partner for the People 14 3

3 Møre and Romsdal MØRE AND ROMSDAL Approx. 260,000 inhabitants (2012) 15,000 square kilometres 7,700 kilometres coast line 36 municipalities 23 upper secondary schools and 2 vocational schools 37 dental clinics 3 university colleges 4 hospitals 4 airports The county of Møre and Romsdal is located in the north-western part of the country and is one of 19 counties in Norway. As of 2012, approximately 260,000 people live in the area. As of 2012, there are 36 municipalities in the county. Ålesund, Molde and Kristiansund are the largest towns. Møre and Romsdal covers an area with fjords and mountains, valleys, small headlands and islands and a coastline facing the Norwegian Sea. 4 The largest industries here are maritime and petroleum-related industries, fisheries, furniture, tourism and the service sector. Møre and Romsdal has been an administrative unit for nearly 300 years and formalised regional public government has been a tradition for nearly 200 years. Møre and Romsdal County Authority is the popularly elected administrative body at the regional level and the key regional service provider.

4 Møre and Romsdal County Authority is a politically governed organisation. It is the county council in Møre and Romsdal who lay down the framework for the county authority s activities. This happens through formal decisions on the regional master plan, financial plans, annual budgets, and on matters of overriding importance and principle. Popularly Elected Government THE COUNTY COUNCIL THE COUNTY MAYOR The county council is the principal directly elected The county mayor is the chief political representa- body in the county. It is composed of 47 representa- tive of the county, and is elected by the members of tives from the county who normally meet four times the county council. The county mayor presides over a year. Elections to the municipal council and the county council and county executive committee county council are held every four years. meetings. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COUNTY STANDING COMMITTEES The county executive committee is the county coun- Political standing committees have been set up for cil s working committee. The members are elected the subject areas transport, education, business and amongst the members of the county council. The culture. In addition, there is a control committee county executive committee in Møre and Romsdal and several advisory committees. has 13 representatives and is headed by the county mayor. 6 The principle of popular sovereignty forms a basis for the activities of the county authority and all political decisions are made by majority vote in the various committee and council meetings. All political meetings are open to the public, unless particular circumstances indicate otherwise. The county politicians deal with a broad range of issues: strategies, plans and reports, financial support for various regional development projects, public statements, consultation statements, presenting awards, as well as interpellation and questions. Møre and Romsdal County Authority has four standing committees: Committee for Education Committee for Transport Committee for Culture and Public Health Committee for Regional Development and Business Many of the political issues that are considered in the standing committees go on to the county council or county executive committee for a final decision. In 2011, a total of 600 political issues were considered in the principal standing committees, the county executive committee and the county council. The county executive committee alone considered 189 issues. In addition to the standing committees there are a number of advisory committees: youth panel/youth county council; committee for environmental issues; equal opportunities committee; equal opportunities committee on people with disabilities; the elders council; traffic safety committee; advisory committee on vocational training; board of vocational schools; planning committee for building projects and planning committee for transport development. The county authority also has representatives in numerous external boards and committees. 7

5 Møre and Romsdal County Authority s most important responsibilities currently include: upper secondary education and training; county roads/public transport on land and sea; strategic leadership on regional habitation, business development and entrepreneurship; promotion of culture and public health; dental health services and county planning. Main Responsibilities TRANSPORT County roads, county ferry routes, public transport in the county, provision of public transport information REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Business development, entrepreneurship, development of local communities, public administration and grants to promote regional development. FURTHER EDUCATION Upper secondary schools, vocational schools and adult education. DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Free dental care for all residents aged between 3 and 18, as well as for vulnerable groups. Preventive dental care. COUNTY PLANNING Regional planning authority, regional plans for comprehensive community planning, planning advice. CULTURE Promoting culture, protection of cultural heritage, public health, public libraries, distributing National lottery money funds, voluntary work and cultural institutions. Møre and Romsdal County Authority has a duty to offer good opportunities for further education to all residents in the county. As well as offering a good service structure, it is a challenge to provide modern and appropriate educational buildings. Møre and Romsdal County Authority has a responsibility to maintain and develop the county road network in Møre and Romsdal and also works to give as many people as possible good public transport services with buses, ferries and express boats. Through our support for culture we want to encourage all residents young and old to enjoy experiences, activities and good public health. The services are developed in partnership with municipalities and other cultural organisations, and include for instance public health initiatives, the promotion of culture, as well as grants, advice and administration. Møre and Romsdal County Authority has a strategic responsibility for business and regional development. This means that we continuously work to realize the potential for development in the county, promote the county s interests in national and interna tional framework conditions, are partowners and commissioners of Innovation Norway, and administer funding for business and community development. Møre and Romsdal County Authority is responsible for the public dental health service. Children and young people aged between 3 and 18 receive free dental care at the 37 public dental clinics. The annual total budget for Møre and Romsdal County Authority in 2012 is NOK 3.2 billion. Education and transport represent about 80 % of the budget in 2012, this amount to about NOK 2.5 billion. 8 9

6 The biggest and most important responsibility of the county authority is to give large user groups a good level of service within its areas of responsibility. This involves: To develop and administer good and sustainable transport services To provide solid and appropriate further education services To provide free dental services for young people up to the age of 18 and to vulnerable groups Provider of Welfare Services COUNTY ROADS/ TRANSPORT FURTHER EDUCATION DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Møre and Romsdal County Author- Møre and Romsdal County Authority Møre and Romsdal County Author- ity has ownership of about 3,000 has ownership of 23 upper second- ity currently has ownership of 37 kilometres of county roads, 22 ferry ary schools and 2 vocational schools dental clinics in 34 municipalities routes and responsibility for county providing opportunities within a in the county. Annually, 80,000 public transport services. The coun- range of programmes, subjects and residents receive dental care at our ty authority purchases ferry, express professions. We collaborate with clinics. Children aged 3 to 18 and boat and bus services through the about 1,300 approved apprentice vulnerable groups are offered free principles of public procurement, employers on about 2,000 appren- dental care. Over the last decade, we and allocates permits for taxis and tice positions. About 90% of stu- can demonstrate a substantial im- transport for the disabled. dents are offered their first choice. provement in public dental health. 10 An efficient transport system, both for pedestrians and cyclists, for public transport users and car drivers, is important to create an attractive county. A good transport system is also important to ensure a competitive trade and industry with a competent work force. The county authority has ownership of the roads, whilst the Norwegian Public Roads Administration is responsible for operations. The funding is allocated from Norway s National Budget. The county authority is responsible for ensuring that the resources are spent in a way that gives the public value for money for the investments. It is a key objective that as many people as possible should make use of public transport services in the county. The primary objective for the education sector is to ensure quality, comprehensiveness and continuity, as well as promoting a good learning environment in further education. Møre and Romsdal County Authority, as the school owner, has the administrative responsibility for upper secondary schools in the county, for vocational training in businesses and for vocational schools. This is the county authority s biggest service area. The budget for the service amounts to nearly half of the total budget of the county authority. The sector employs about 80 per cent of the total number of employees in Møre and Romsdal County Authority. The key challenges for the public dental health service are to strengthen and quality-ensure the service for everyone who receive free dental care, as well as to further develop preventive dental care outside of the clinics. Currently, everyone aged between 3 and 18, as well as senior citizens and the long-term sick in institutions, people on substance abuse programmes, prisoners, refugees and asylum seekers living in Møre and Romsdal are offered free dental treatment. There are about 200 employees in the dental health sector. The level of provision of dentists is currently good and we work persistently to further increase staff s professional skills and knowledge. 11

7 As the principal regional developer, Møre and Romsdal County Authority contributes to the strengthening of community planning in the county, to stimulate the growth of new businesses, value creation, research and development, as well as encouraging the public to enjoy experiences, activities and good public health. Regional Developer Møre and Romsdal County Authority s main objective is to promote the desired development of the region, and the aims for regional development are defined in the master plan for Møre and Romsdal. In the master plan, culture, knowledge and value creation* have been chosen as priority areas because we believe that these will be the key to creating a prosperous society, where people both have something to live for and something to live off. *Transport will be added as a new priority area in the coming master plan. In the work on regional development the county authority has several cross-cutting themes, such as public health, equal opportunities and universal design. The cross-cutting themes express values and objectives that should form a basis for all planning and operations by the county authority. Møre and Romsdal County Authority is a pro-active partner in the work to encourage new business start-ups, value creation, sustainable growth, research and development, attractive and dynamic communities. We annually administer NOK 150 million to development projects. Møre and Romsdal County Authority has ownership shares in more than 50 businesses county-wide, as well as several large development projects within society and trade and industry, e.g. God helse (Good Health), Energiregion Møre (Energy Region Møre), hoppid.no (programme for entrepreneurship), and LUK (encouraging local community developments in the municipalities). VALUE CREATION To support knowledge creation and a labour market that is appealing to a skilled and sought-after workforce, is fundamental in our drive to further develop an active, profitable and progressive trade and industry. An important initiative is the partnerships with the municipalities to develop towns and villages and innovative and attractive local communities. CULTURE AND PUBLIC HEALTH Key areas within the field of culture are the nursery cultural programme, development of cultural heritage industries, support to strengthen the county s film industry and collaboration with voluntary organisations to build knowledge and inclusion. Public health is another important area, and outward-facing initiatives contribute to reach aims in this area. KNOWLEDGE CREATION A stronger emphasis on career guidance, young entrepreneurship, improving completion rates in upper secondary education, as well as internationalisation of education are important initiatives. It is a challenge to develop educational opportunities and knowledge development initiatives that are tied to career choices and future careers

8 Møre and Romsdal County Authority s vision is A visible partner. As an employer and visible partner, we emphasise that democratic values should form the basis for how all employees handle their work. A Partner for the People If you would like to read more about Møre and Romsdal County Authority and the services that the organisation delivers, please visit our website Here you will find more information about the service areas that Møre and Romsdal County Authority is responsible for. You will also find more information about Møre and Romsdal County Authority in various booklets, brochures and presentations. Many of these you can download from our website or you can contact our Information Department. Additional information about Møre and Romsdal County Authority can also be found in the county magazine SPOR We aspire to being a visible partner on behalf of the community in the region, professional in everything that we do, employing our specialist knowledge, progressive and with an obvious respect for the commitment to society that we have been given. Møre and Romsdal County Authority as an employer and visible partner emphasises that democratic values should form the basis for how all employees handle their work. We build on the values: Respect Equality Participation Communal responsibility Openness A purposeful and high ethical standard should form a basis for all our conduct and jobs that we perform. Our common vision and values will be the foundation for collaboration and dialogue internally in the organisation and with our users; students, parents, patients and our collaborating partners, municipalities, trade and industry and organisations. In meetings with our users, rersidents and collaborating partners we will demonstrate our commitment to development. Useful websites: mrfylke.no hoppid.no godhelse-mr.no morotur.no mr.fylkesbibl.no kultursekken.no moremusikarane.no ungweb.no 14

9 Møre and Romsdal County Authority Fylkeshuset 6404 Molde Norway Tel: English translation by Anne-Merete Halpern Regional developer and democratic body A presentation of the responsibilities of Møre and Romsdal County Authority Information Department - November 2012 info@mrfylke.no