Researcher believes that in the long term Denmark could become a poorer municipality if the politicians do not help Fanø, researcher believes.
It looks bleak for the country’s second smallest municipality – Fanø – in both the short and the long term, if Christiansborg does not give more money to the island.
This is the assessment from Kurt Houlberg, professor of municipal economics at the National Research and Analysis Center for Welfare – VIVE.
He has in-depth knowledge of Fanø’s finances. Earlier this year, the island asked VIVE for an analysis of the economies of scale in the municipalities. That analysis was prepared by Kurt Houlberg, among others.
And he casts doubt on the island’s independence.
– The future for Fanø looks very difficult. In the long term, the island will not be able to continue as an independent municipality if there is no fundamental improvement in the municipality’s finances and a better understanding from Christiansborg of the special challenges that Fanø Municipality has, he says.
Fanø is faced with having to lay down the most difficult budget ever with historically large savings that affect young and old alike, according to the island’s mayor.
Because even though the municipality receives a total of DKK 19.3 million as an extra helping hand from the government, DKK 20 million is still missing in the budget for next year. This corresponds to almost 10 percent of the entire municipality’s budget.
But the red numbers in the accounts are not the municipality’s own fault, he says.
– Fanø municipality has done what they could for a few years. They have implemented savings and raised taxes. But these challenges are caused by external factors that Fanø cannot do anything about. If they should have done something, they should have called it out earlier.
DR would have liked to interview the Minister of the Interior and Health, Sophie Løhde (V), about the matter, but she did not want to appear for an interview. DR would also like to have interviewed the chairman of the National Association of Municipalities, Martin Damm (V), about the case. He will not appear for an interview either.
But are the mayors at Christiansborg ready to save the small island municipality? DR has asked some of the politicians about this.
