Increased funding for development and summer jobs

Increased funding for infrastructure development and summer jobs for young people

The Hafnarfjörður Town Council approved a plan for monitoring and ongoing measures regarding Covid-19 at its meeting yesterday. The plan includes continued support for the residents and business community in Hafnarfjörður and strengthening the town's foundations until the economy has recovered to its former strength. With the new plan, the local authorities in Hafnarfjörður are following up on a previous plan and continuing to respond in a targeted manner to the effects of the pandemic on employment and the economy.

Challenging tasks lie ahead in the field of local government.

Although there are signs of a gradual recovery in tourism here in the country, the end of the pandemic globally and its economic consequences is not in sight. Temporary government support measures have counteracted growing unemployment in the country and offset the loss of income. Challenging tasks still lie ahead for local authorities in maintaining full services and levels of delivery. „We are continuing to respond to the negative effects of Covid-19 by increasing summer jobs for young people in the town, given that applications have never been higher than this year. We are also continuing to support the local economy by increasing construction projects in the municipality. This summer, we are investing more money in the renovation, beautification and improvement of paths and streets in the town's neighbourhoods. With this, we continue to play an active part in the ongoing recovery. The council's sound financial position, partly due to increased land sales and the sale of its stake in HS Veitur, makes this possible.“ says Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður.

Following on from the previous action plan, the town council presents the following plan:

1. Temporary jobs – additional funding will be allocated to temporary jobs through the council. More jobs will be offered in the work experience programme, in addition to a significant participation in the government's employment initiative, which offers summer jobs for students and temporary jobs for people who are looking for work. In total, 250 million krónur will be invested in temporary jobs by the City of Hafnarfjörður.
2. Action plan – emphasis on maintenance works and infrastructure development. A wide range of projects will be undertaken in the town, offering various employment opportunities. Examples of projects include the renewal of pavements in the town's older districts, the improvement of roads and paths in Skarðshlíð and Hellnahrauni, the renewal and maintenance of school grounds, and the renewal of paths and electrical systems in Hellisgerði. In total, 340 million krónur will be added to maintenance and infrastructure projects in the City of Hafnarfjörður.
3. Culture, arts and creative industries – It has been decided that the town festival, Bjartir dagar, will run throughout the summer and reflect all the diverse cultural activities taking place in Hafnarfjörður. In a normal year, this first town festival in the country runs for five days. In total, an additional 5 million krónur will be allocated to special cultural events in Hafnarfjörður during the summer of 2021.

Unity and consensus on actions

In April 2020, the Hafnarfjörður Town Council approved an action plan to respond to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents, associations and businesses, as well as on the operation of the municipality itself. Emphasis was placed on the fact that these were the first measures taken by the City of Hafnarfjörður, intended to secure the city's operations and support businesses and residents who are having to endure the consequences of the pandemic. The measures were also aimed at minimising the downturn that would be inevitable and safeguarding the council's services. There was consensus in the town council on the plan, and it has been implemented successfully over the past year. A new action plan, along with an amendment to the budget, will be presented for approval at the town council meeting on 26 May.