Town Council

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1 September 2009 at 14:00

in the council chamber of Hafnarborg

Meeting 1618

Secretary

  • Jóna Ósk Guðjónsdóttir Secretary of the Town Council

  1. General presentations

    • SB040377 – Minutes of the Planning and Building Officer

      Lagðar fram fundargerðir frá afgreiðslufundum skipulags- og byggingafulltrúa 12.08.2009 og 19.08.2009.%0DA-hluti fundargerðanna fer til samþykktar bæjarstjórnar.

      The Hafnarfjörður Town Council approved the A-part of the minutes with 11 votes.;

    • 0908195 – Rented accommodation and rent subsidies, rules on allocation

      10.liður úr fundargerð FJÖH frá 26. ágúst sl.%0DLögð fram tillaga málskotsnefndar að breyttum reglum um úthlutun á almennu leiguhúsnæði hjá Hafnarfjarðarbæ og sérstakar húsaleigubætur.%0D%0DFjölskylduráð samþykkir að leggja til við bæjarstjórn: %0D“Bæjarstjórn Hafnarfjarðar samþykkir framlagðar breytingar á reglum um úthlutun á almennu leiguhúsnæði hjá Hafnarfjarðarbæ og sértakar húsaleigubætur.“

      Gudmundur Rúnar Árnason spoke, then Almar Grímsson, and Gudmundur Rúnar Árnason replied. Then Gunnar Svavarsson took the floor, Haraldur Þór Ólason made a point of order, Gunnar Svavarsson replied to the point of order, and Guðmundur Rúnar Árnason made a point of order in response to Gunnar Svavarsson's speech.
      Then Haraldur Þór Ólason took the floor, Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir made a point of order, Haraldur Þór Ólason replied to the point of order, Guðmundur Rúnar Árnason made a point of order in response to Haraldur Þór Ólason's speech, then Haraldur Þór Ólason replied to the point of order.
      Almar Grímsson then took the floor.
      The Hafnarfjörður Town Council approved the Family Council's proposal with 11 votes.
      ;

    • 0811062 – Hólabraut 15, unauthorised development

      9. liður úr fundargerð SBH frá 26.ágúst sl.%0DTekið fyrir að nýju bréf Húseigendafélagsins dags. 04.11.08 varðandi óleyfisframkvæmdir Jóns Karls Grétarssonar á 1. hæð hússins. Ekki hefur verið brugðist við ítrekuðum athugasemdum skipulags- og byggingarfulltrúa, sem ákvað á fundi 11.12.2008 að yrði ekki brugðist við athugasemdum innan eins mánaðar eða breytingarnar fjarlægðar myndi hann leggja til við skipulags- og byggingarráð að beitt verði dagsektum skv. VI. kafla skipulags- og byggingarlaga. Skipulags- og byggingarfulltrúi vísaði erindinu 01.07.2009 til skipulags- og byggingarráðs, sem bókaði eftirfarandi 07.07.2009: %0DSkipulags- og byggingarráð ítrekar að eigendur sæki um leyfi fyrir umræddum framkvæmdum, sem fjallað verður um samkvæmt skipulags- og byggingarlögum. Berist ekki slík umsókn innan fjögurra vikna eða breytingarnar verði fjarlægðar að öðrum kosti, mun skipulags- og byggingarráð leggja til við bæjarstjórn að beitt verði dagsektum skv. VI. kafla skipulags- og byggingarlaga. Lagt fram bréf Guðbjargar Matthíasdóttur lögmanns Húseigandafélagsins dags. 13.07.2009, þar sem fram kemur að ekki liggi fyrir samþykki meðeigenda í húsinu.%0D %0DÞar sem framkvæmdin er brot á skipulags- og byggingarlögum og fjöleignahúsalögum, gerir skipulags- og byggingarráð eftirfarandi tillögu til bæjarstjórnar:%0D“Bæjarstjórn Hafnarfjarðar samþykkir að lagðar verði dagsektir á eiganda 1. hæðar hússins kr. 50 þúsund á dag frá og með 1. október hafi hinar ólögmætu framkvæmdir ekki verið fjarlægðar fyrir þann tíma.“%0D

      The Hafnarfjörður Town Council unanimously approved the proposal of the Planning and Building Committee by nine votes to zero.;

    • 0801057 – Streamhellu 2, allocation/transfer

      8.liður úr fundargerð BÆJH frá 27.ágúst sl.%0DTekið f. að nýju. Lögð fram umsögn skipulags-og byggingasviðs dags. 25. ágúst sl.%0DBæjarráð staðfestir ofangreint afsal fyrir sitt leyti og leggur til við bæjarstjórn:%0D“Bæjarstjórn Hafnarfjarðar staðfestir framlagt afsal í 8. lið fundargerðar bæjarráðs frá 27.ágúst sl. „

      The Hafnarfjörður Town Council unanimously approved the Town Council's proposal by 9 votes.;

    • 0809080 – Minutes 2009, for presentation to the Town Council

      Fundargerð fræðsluráðs frá 24. ágúst sl.%0DFundargerð fjölskylduráðs frá 26. ágúst sl.%0Da. Fundargerðir menningar- og ferðamálanefndar frá 15. júlí og 19. ágúst sl.%0DFundargerð skipulags- og byggingaráðs frá 25. ágúst sl.%0DFundargerð bæjaráðs frá 27. ágúst sl.%0Da. Fundargerð hafnarstjórnar frá 19. ágúst sl.%0DFundargerð bæjarráðs frá 31. ágúst sl. %0DFundargerð framkvæmdaráðs frá 24. ágúst sl.

      Haraldur Þór Ólason spoke regarding item 8 of the minutes of the Planning and Building Committee from 25 August, and also regarding item 1 of the minutes of the Town Council from 27 August and item 3 of the same minutes. 

      Then Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir spoke regarding item 3 of the town council meeting minutes from 27 August. Haraldur Þór Ólason made a point of order in response to the speech by Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir, Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir replied to the point of order, and Haraldur Þór Ólason made a second point of order.
      Lúðvík Geirsson also spoke regarding item 3 of the town council's minutes from 27 August. Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir made a point of order in response to Lúðvík Geirsson's speech, Lúðvík Geirsson replied to the point of order, Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir made a second point of order, and Lúðvík Geirsson replied to the second point of order.
      Gísli Ó. Valdimarsson then spoke regarding item 8 of the minutes of the Planning and Building Committee from 25 August. Haraldur Þór Ólason made a point of order in response to Gísli Ó. Valdimarsson's speech, Gísli Ó. Valdimarsson replied to the point of order, Haraldur Þór Ólason spoke in rebuttal for a second time, and Gísli Ó. Valdimarsson replied to the point of order for a second time.
      Almar Grímsson then took the floor regarding item 3 of the minutes of the town council meeting of 27 August.  
      Gunnar Svavarsson spoke regarding item 3 of the Executive Board's minutes from 24 August, item 8 of the Planning and Building Board's minutes from 25 August, and also regarding item 3 of the Town Council's minutes from 27 August.
      ;

  • 0709109 – South Coast Heat, shareholding of the City of Hafnarfjörður

    1. liður úr fundargerð BÆJH FRÁ 31. ágúst sl. %0DLagt fram samkomulag dags. 31.ágúst 2009 milli Orkuveitu Reykjavíkur og Hafnarfjarðarbæjar um uppgjör á samkomulagi frá 2. júlí 2007 milli sömu aðila.%0DGerður Guðjónsdóttir fjármálastjóri mætti til fundarins.%0D%0DBæjarráð vísar fyrirliggjandi samkomulagi til afgreiðslu í bæjarstjórn.%0D

    Ludwig Geirsson took the floor, then Haraldur Þór Ólason, Gunnar Svavarsson made a rebuttal to Haraldur Þór Ólason's speech.

    Then Gudrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir took the floor, Gunnar Svavarsson made a point of order against Gudrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir's speech, Gudrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir replied to the point of order, Gunnar Svavarsson made a second intervention, Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir replied to the intervention for a second time.
    A short break was taken at 16:55, the meeting resumed at 17:07.
    Guðfinna Guðmundsdóttir spoke, then Gunnar Svavarsson and Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Lúðvík Geirsson made a point of order against the speech of Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Gunnar Svavarsson also made a point of order regarding Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir's speech, Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir replied to the point of order, Gunnar Svavarsson made a second point of order, and Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir replied to the second point of order.
    Almar Grímsson and Gunnar Svavarsson then spoke.
    Hafnarfjörður Town Council approves the attached agreement by 8 votes to 3.
    Guðfinna Guðmundsdóttir explained her vote.Gunnar Svavarsson also explained his vote. Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir requested to make the following statement:

    “Agreement between the City of Hafnarfjörður and Orkuveita Reykjavíkur 31.August 2009 is in that respect pleasing, as Orkuveita Reykjavíkur has thereby effectively recognised the agreement made in July 2007 regarding the City of Hafnarfjörður's right to sell its stake in Hitaveita Suðurnesja at the price of 7.0.

    However, the Independence Party's town councillors find it strange that the Social Democratic Party's majority in Hafnarfjörður has decided to change the town council's decision from the 18th. December 2007 and release Orkuveitan from part of the agreement, namely its shareholding in HS Veitur. Thus, the City of Hafnarfjörður will lose sales proceeds amounting to 1.4 billion króna, plus interest on that sum. This change of position can be explained by nothing other than infighting within the Social Democratic Party, which will prove costly for the town of Hafnarfjörður.

    It must also be noted that the Social Democratic Party rejected a proposal by the Independence Party's town councillor, just two years ago, to sell the entire property then. normal“> it must also be borne in mind that the Social Democratic Party, just two years ago, defeated a proposal by the Independence Party's town councillor to sell their entire stake in the South-West Thermal Power Station and pay off specific foreign currency debts amounting to around 7 billion króna, according to exchange rate index of 2 September 2007.

    Now, 2 years later, the index has doubled and long-term debt increased by 14 billion króna between 2007 and 2008. Had the Coalition Government followed the Independence Party's proposal and sold off assets in the autumn of 2007 to pay down foreign debt, the city's debt position would be 14 billion króna lower than it is today.This shows in a nutshell how badly the Social Democratic Party has run the municipality of Hafnarfjörður and how their indecisiveness has proved costly for the town's residents.“

    Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir (sign.)

    Almar Grímsson (sign.)

    Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir requested to make the following statement:
    The Left Green councillor votes against the agreement and justifies their vote as follows:
    It is to be welcomed that Orkuveita Reykjavíkur is proceeding with its acquisition of Hafnarfjörður's stake in Hitaveita Suðurnesja. It is also to be welcomed that the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður is taking back its former share in HS Veitur hf. However, it is regrettable that Orkuveita Reykjavíkur is linking the settlement for its purchase of Hafnarfjörður's stake with the sale of its own asset in HS Orka. It is, however, regrettable that Orkuveita Reykjavíkur should link the settlement of its purchase of Hafnarfjörður's stake with the sale of its own asset in HS Orka hf to a private company, instead of allowing more scope to try to secure public ownership of HS Orka hf. New and new consequences of the privatisation policies of the Independence and Progressive parties over recent years in public companies are continually emerging, and this is one of them. 
    <SPAN lang=IS style=“COLOR: black; The initial sale of the City of Hafnarfjörður's stake in Hitaveita Suðurnesja to Orkuveita Reykjavíkur was an attempt to bring the geothermal company into public ownership to the greatest extent possible. However, this agreement also includes the approval for the sale of the remaining Hafnarfjörður shareholding in HS Orka hf. to Magma Energy Sweden.
    By voting for the agreement, one is blessing the act of OR selling HS Orka hf. to a private party and, at the same time, approving the sale by Hafnarfjörður of the remainder of the town's stake in HS Orka hf. to the same party. Therefore, a Left Green councillor can only vote against the agreement.

    Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir (sign.)

    Lúðvík Geirsson requested to make the following statement:

    The City Council representatives of the Social Democratic Alliance wholeheartedly endorse the booking of the party's representative on the City Council since yesterday and express their satisfaction that an acceptable and fair settlement agreement is in place with Orkuveita Reykjavíkur regarding the parties“ previous agreement from 2007 concerning the City of Hafnarfjörður's former shareholding in Hitaveita Suðurnesja. There have been differing views between the parties regarding the status of that agreement following the intervention of the Competition Authority and the outcome of the District Court's judgment in a collection case which The City of Hafnarfjörður brought.The utility appealed that judgment to the Supreme Court, but the municipal authorities in Hafnarfjörður have, at every stage of this matter, offered the utility talks on a settlement and resolution of this dispute.

    A settlement has now finally been reached that all parties can be happy with. Fair interest on the original purchase price is guaranteed and settlement shall take place within the specified time, otherwise the legal position of the parties will remain unchanged according to the judgment of the Reykjavík District Court. Total payments amount to amount to approximately 7.1 billion krónur, and in addition, the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður retains a 14.649% stake in HS Veitur, which is the same shareholding as the municipality received with the merger of Rafveita Hafnarfjarðar into Hitaveita Suðurnesja about a decade ago.Thus, after the split of HS last year.Following the split, the municipality's continued involvement in the management of the utility and a presence in the borough are secured, as is ownership of the electricity distribution networks that run through the town's streets.

    Councillors of the Social Democratic Party have, ever since a joint decision was taken in the town council in early July 2007 to accept the offer from OR to purchase the municipality's share in the South-West Thermal Power Station, with a 6-month period before the final confirmation by the municipal council, a strong emphasis was placed on securing the position and interests of the municipality for both the short and long term, and also on creating broad consensus among councillors of all parties regarding the handling of this important matter.And that has been the case to date.The final decision to sell, taken by the town council in December 2007, was unanimous, as all the key prerequisites deemed necessary by Social Democratic Party councillors were then in place.

    The Althingi had just passed amendments to the electricity law on a clear separation between resources, power stations and the distribution system.The law ensured that the resources would be owned by public entities, and the same applies to the utility systems.These new laws were the basis for the final decision to sell, and furthermore, by the end of November the Borough of Hafnarfjörður had secured an agreement with its neighbouring municipalities on the Krýsuvíkur geothermal areas for cooperation in planning and resource matters with the establishment of the Southlinda ehf. In this way, all the municipality's interests were secured for the foreseeable future in the geothermal areas of Krýsuvík.

    The proposal by the Independence Party councillor for a direct sale in the autumn of 2007, before these matters had been resolved and without any formal valuation of the stake being available, was not based on the necessary clear criteria.

    The Social Democratic Party's councillors, in good cooperation with the entire council, have maintained a firm and responsible approach to this matter and have sought in every way to secure and safeguard the interests of the municipality and its residents in every respect. The agreement now on the table with Orkuveita Reykjavíkur regarding a settlement and resolution between the parties is an acceptable outcome.The legal and substantive position of the municipality has been strong throughout this matter, which clearly demonstrates that all of the municipality's governance and interests have been well managed.

    Lúðvík Geirsson (sign.) Guðmundur R. Árnason (sign.)

    Margrét Gauja Magnúsdóttir (sign.)  Guðfinna Guðmundsdóttir (sign.)

    Gísli Ó. Valdimarsson (sign.)            Ellý Erlingsdóttir (sign.)

    Gunnar Svavarsson (sign.)

    ;

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