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A message from the mayor after the turn of the month

I have decided to make it a regular feature to put together a few words at the end of each month to report on interesting projects underway within the municipality and to share the highs and lows of the month's challenges, ideas, visits and meetings. There is much to report, but with this I want to better inform residents and other stakeholders about the progress of matters and plans within the municipality.  

The first month of the year is off to a good start. I have had good meetings and conversations with the main managers of Hafnarfjörður municipality, and more such meetings are planned for the near future. I intend to have such a conversation with as many of the municipality's employees as possible and will set aside time for this in the coming months. I believe it is essential that we, the employees of Hafnarfjörður Municipality, align our efforts even more closely, creating a machine that works as efficiently as possible, and that we are all heading in the same direction. That direction is to make Hafnarfjörður a model municipality in every respect, providing a service that does the town proud. We are doing good things in most, if not all, areas, but we are well aware that good can always be improved upon. Alongside these visits, I am meeting with residents and the staff and management of businesses to get their views and ideas on what could be improved and what new things could be done.

To make the overview as accessible and clear as possible, I have decided to publish it under the administrative structure by which we operate within the municipality.

Governance

• Budget – a plan is in place and was approved by the town council at the end of last year. I am optimistic that the plan will succeed, as it is based on a thorough review which provided a good insight and understanding of the council's position and operations. We are managing to free up funds within the council which will be used for both capital projects and loan repayments.
• Contracts for Difference – six contracts have been signed, resulting in operational efficiencies of around 100 million króna. These cover areas such as insurance, school transport, auditing, printing solutions, cleaning and food production. A further range of services is planned to be put out to tender during the year. I have long held the view that public sector operations should be re-evaluated and streamlined, rather than increasing the burden on residents, and I want to see this philosophy reflected in almost all of our actions and projects.
• Price list – we had an unavoidable increase in our tariffs, a change which reflects the rise in the running costs of the relevant services. This, however, does not apply Nursery school fees which is unchanged for the second year in a row. It should also be noted that the tariff remained unchanged between 2014 and 2015. In most cases, Hafnarfjörður compares favourably with other municipalities and is sometimes well below the average for these charges. The success of the measures that have been implemented is now visible, and I welcome that. We will continue on this path.
• St. Joseph's Hospital – I have been tasked with entering into an agreement with the state to purchase the premises. Today, we own 15% of the properties, and the town wishes to secure control over them and see them put to active use for the benefit of the local community. If this goes ahead, it is planned that a special committee will be appointed to address the future of the buildings, and proposals for activities there will be sought, in line with the current master plan.
• New nursing home – it has been decided to build a new 60-bed care home on the Sólvangur site. There are plans to partially use the existing Sólvangur House as a service centre for older people, with twenty nursing beds. This decision is in line with the strategic plan for the welfare of older people in Hafnarfjörður. Sólvangur already provides a range of support services, which are important to have in the vicinity of a new care home.

Education and leisure services

• Hobby grants – a change has taken place Arrangement of leisure grants and now, children from Hafnarfjörður who play their sport outside the municipality can also receive a grant for it. The town subsidised sports and leisure activities by approximately 64.5 million krónur. in 2015 to 3,050 children. Of these, just over 2,500 children received a subsidy for more than one course.
• Concussion – Homework support for primary school pupils in years 4 to 10 began this month. The support is primarily intended for students from foreign backgrounds and is available once a week in the multi-purpose room of the Hafnarfjörður Library. This is a joint project between the Hafnarfjörður Library and the Red Cross in Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær.
• National reading competition – a reading campaign which started on St. Valentine's Day and ends on International Women's Day. The campaign fits well with the town's other reading projects which run all year round. Town Council takes an active part in the national game along with numerous groups at other workplaces. Reading is the game of life.
• More books in libraries A decision was made to accept the challenge from the library and information specialists in Hafnarfjörður's primary schools and to increase the funding for book purchases in the town's schools. The funding was increased by 50% in order to further support improved literacy for our children.

Family services

• Increased services for disabled people – numerous creative and enjoyable projects are underway in this area. The wasps grow and flourish and have received assistance to enter the mainstream labour market. More individuals will be welcomed into the group now at the start of the new year. In addition, a new agreement has also been made with Specialists who have undertaken professional services for disabled jobseekers.
• Matters concerning senior citizens – I have had a good conversation with many older people this January, people who have in common being positive, cheerful and grateful for the service provided. Their demands are not unrealistic but reasonable, such as having the opportunity to enjoy their later years and to socialise and have fun.
• The Hafnarfjörður refugee families The families coming to us are expected in early March. They were due to arrive in January, but changes in their circumstances and decisions meant that it was delayed. A great deal of preparation has taken place and we are ready to give a warm welcome to the families who are becoming Hafnarfjörður residents.

Environmental and planning services

• Snow clearance on streets and anti-slip measures – have got off to a good start in the new year. This is the issue that receives the most feedback, and work is regularly carried out to improve processes and working methods. At the same time, efforts are made to find the most cost-effective solutions so that the funds allocated to this project can be used as efficiently as possible.
• Christmas tree collection – went reasonably well. Snowfall and icy conditions at the same time delayed the collection by a few days, as it was the same hardy crew who handle both.
• Waste collection – has gone quite well so far this new year. Some residents took advantage of the council's service, with extra bags being offered for sale at selected locations. Special bags were collected alongside the regular weekly collection. There was some delay in rubbish collection due to vehicle breakdowns with the contractor, but this was made up for at the start of the year.
• Demand for plots – for commercial and residential properties. Significant development is taking place in Völlunum, in addition to interest in urban densification in exciting areas, areas that require redevelopment and are in need of maintenance and alteration. A number of enquiries are now being received about industrial plots, and plots will be advertised in the spring. The allocation of multi-family housing plots in Skarðshlíð is scheduled to begin in March/April next year.
• Urban densification A new report has been published. The report contains two proposals, both of which involve changes to the current planning for Hafnarfjörður. A great deal of work and discussion will follow regarding the proposals from the expert group that prepared the report, and the ideas will be presented at Hafnarborg in March.
• Road safety and measures – pressure on the government. The T-junction at Krýsuvíkurveg/Reykjanesbraut is long outdated and the danger posed by traffic during peak hours is ever-increasing. Businesses in the area want to see the flyover built as soon as possible and have called on the Ministry of the Interior to start the construction work this year. The local authorities in Hafnarfjörður support the call to improve traffic safety and ensure smoother traffic flow in the area. Hafnarfjörður has been largely overlooked when it comes to the construction of flyover junctions at the Reykjanesbraut, compared to neighbouring municipalities. This needs to change. We held a meeting with the Minister of the Interior about the matter, along with representatives of local businesses.

I hope that my monthly writings will shed some light on some of the varied work being done for the benefit of the municipality and its residents. I would like to remind residents and businesses of my weekly surgery hours on Tuesday mornings, where I am happy to meet with anyone who wishes to have a chat with me. Appointments can be booked by calling 585-5506.

Kind regards

Haraldur L. Haraldsson, Mayor