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Decision making in Nurmes

Municipal self-administration has been guaranteed in the Constitution of Finland. The operation of municipalities is governed by the Local Government Act. The highest decision-making authority in a municipality is the Council, which is responsible for the local economy and operation. Residents elect council members every four years.

The Municipal Board that is appointed by the Council is responsible for the implementation of the municipality's administration and economy in practice, preparing items for the Council, supervising the municipality's interests and representing the municipality.

Committees are not obligatory, but in practice, committees consisting of elected officials have been set up in every municipality to take care of issues related to education, social and health services, and the environment and community. This is also the case in Nurmes.

The tasks and jurisdiction of the City Board and the committees are specified in the administrative rule approved by the City Council.

City Council

The City Council has the decision-making authority on the municipality's matters, unless otherwise stipulated, and if the Council has not transferred its authority to another municipal body. The Council is responsible for the municipality's operation and economy and makes important decisions concerning the municipality.

According to the law, the Council decides on, for example, which bodies are in operation in the municipality, and their tasks and authority. The Council also decides on the organisation of administration; for example, whether the municipality will handle tasks within its own organisation, whether a certain task will be handled in the form of a municipal public utility, whether a limited company will be established to take care of a task, etc.

The Council approves the budget and decides on the general grounds for payments and investment operation and issuing a security. In principle, the Council selects members to the city's bodies and establishes offices, and also appoints the most important offices. Tasks also include approving the financial statements and deciding on the exemption from liability.

The Council may sign its decision-making authority to other bodies of the city by issuing ordinances. Members and deputies are elected in municipal elections for four calendar years following the election year.

In principle, Council meetings are held on the last Thursday of each month at 6.30 pm at the Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre. The Council does not meet in July, unless there is a special reason to do so. Based on the decision of the Council's chairman, regular meetings can be omitted or held as additional meetings at a specified time if necessary due to the small number of items to be handled and the fact that the items are not urgent.

City Board

The City Board functions as the head of city administration. The Board is responsible for the administration and economy of the municipality. While managing the administration, it controls and adapts the operation of various bodies and officers of the city and takes care of the practical issues of the administration. The responsibility for financial administration includes accounting, monetary transactions, internal auditing and other organisation of financial administration.

The City Board prepares the items to be handled by the Council and is also responsible for the implementation of the Council's decisions and supervising legitimacy. The overall duty of the Board is also to safeguard the city's interests. Unless otherwise regulated by an ordinance, the Board represents the municipality and uses its right of action.

In principle, the meetings of the City Board are held on the first and third Monday each month at 6 p.m.

Personnel Affairs Section

The City Board's Personnel Affairs Section resolves matters related to personnel policy that are within its authority and prepares alignments in connection with the personnel policy. The section solves matters related to salaries, for example, when the matter has been submitted to the municipality for consideration within the time specified in an agreement and decides on the grounds for salaries that will be applied locally. The Personnel Affairs Section assembles as necessary.

Committees

The following committees are in operation in the city:
•    Central Election Committee
•    Education Committee
•    Auditing Committee
•    Technical Committee and its subcommittees for private roads and building and environment issues

The composition, tasks and authority of the committees are specified in the administrative rule of the city of Nurmes.

Agendas and protocols of the meetings (in Finnish)

The Mayor

Mr Pasi Parkkinen started as a mayor in 3th of April 2023.

Contact details for the mayor:
Mr Pasi Parkkinen
Tel. +358 40 104 5001
pasi.parkkinen(at)nurmes.fi