moving house

It is premature for Bergen to deprive district municipalities of young people, says Mayor Jenny Følling of Sunnfjord Municipality.

– I think that every pupil should be allowed to choose what suits him, without a very aggressive policy being carried out by the municipality to influence where he should be registered in the census, says the mayor of the municipality of Sunnfjord , Jenny Følling (Sp), to NOTRK.

What Følling is referring to is the news that stopwatch reported last week, the program of the municipality of Bergen where they encourage those who study in the city, but are still registered in other municipalities, to declare moving to Bergen.

NOK 2,000

The first 1,000 students to do so will be rewarded with a NOK 2,000 gift card that can be used at a number of stores.

“It would be inappropriate in many respects if the host municipalities for education appealed to the district municipalities for young people,” says Jenny Følling.

Asked by NRK if there aren’t many advantages to reporting a move to where you actually live, the mayor of Sunnfjord replies that there are probably situations where it can be advantageous to change your address.

“But it has to be the choice of each student,” Følling stresses.

Another mayor who reacts is the one who has the chain around his neck in the municipality of Ullensvang, namely Roald Aga Haug (Ap).

“I didn’t know that Bergen was struggling so much with the population that it would be necessary to encourage students to change their address,” Haug tells NRK with a sarcastic undertone.

During a debate on Dagsnytt 18 on Tuesday night, Haug promised that Ullensvang would double the amount of money Bergen offers to students.

— We understand that when Bergen acts offensively, we have to do it too. We have to face the competition. For those who are now offered a Bergen gift card, we will be giving a gift card as a gift.

– Should be a generous older brother

He thinks that the student cascade in Bergen can probably cause a good number of small municipalities to send young people to study in the big city.

“Bergen should be a more generous big brother rather than being so eager to be moved that way.

— If the students don’t say they’re moving, won’t your town have a lot of fictitious inhabitants?

– No, they are not fictional. After all, they have rights and duties in their home municipality, and many students use the public services we have in the municipality, answers Haug.

“But they’re moving somewhere else, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they move to study for a short period of their lives,” admits Haug.

Bergen Cultural Council, Eduardo Andersen does not care much about the criticism of mayors.

– I represent Bergen! pointed out “Dodo” at NRK.

Changelog: Update 21.3, 6:46 PM: Added comment from Dagsnytt 18.