Longyearbyen Community Council
Longyearbyen Community Council (Norwegian: Longyearbyen lokalstyre) is the local government for Longyearbyen in Svalbard, Norway. It has many of the same responsibilities of a municipality.[1] It is organized with a 15-member council which since 2011 has been led by Mayor Christin Kristoffersen of the Labour Party.[2] The council's main responsibilities are infrastructure and utilities, including power, land-use and community planning, education from kindergarten to upper secondary level and child welfare. It operates three kindergartens in addition to the 13-grade Longyearbyen School.[3]
The Svalbard Council was established on 1 November 1971. It consisted of 17 non-partisan members which were elected or appointed in three different groups—SNSK employees, government employees and others, although the ratio changed several times.[4] Svalbard Samfunnsdrift (SSD), a limited company which was responsible for public infrastructure and services, was established by SNSK on 1 January 1989.[5] Responsibilities included healthcare, the fire department, the kindergarten, roads, garbage disposal, power production, the water and sewer system, the cinema, cultural actives and the library.[6] Ownership was taken over by the Ministry of Trade and Industry on 1 January 1993.[5] During the 1990s, the authorities started a process to "normalize" Longyearbyen by abolishing the company town scheme and introducing a full range of services, a varied economy and local democracy.[7] The Svalbard Council changed its regulations from 1993 and allowed parties to run for election.[6] Longyearbyen Community Council was established in 2002, replacing the Svalbard Council and assimilating SSD.[1]
References
- Bibliography
- Arlov, Thor B. (1994). A short history of Svalbard. Oslo: Norwegian Polar Institute. ISBN 82-90307-55-1.
- Holm, Kari (1999). Longyearbyen – Svalbard: historisk veiviser (in Norwegian). ISBN 82-992142-4-6.
- Notes
- 1 2 "9 Næringsvirksomhet". St.meld. nr. 22 (2008-2009): Svalbard. Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
- ↑ Amundsen, Birger (10 October 2011). "Kvinne valgt av folket". Svalbardposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ↑ "Information for foreign citizens living in Longyearbyen" (PDF). Governor of Svalbard. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ↑ Holm (1999): 134
- 1 2 Holm (1999): 137
- 1 2 Holm (1999): 136
- ↑ Arlov (1994): 86