Lunch Lecture: Challenges of merged municipalities: are local councils the solution?

For this week lunch lecture we welcome Steinunn Ása Sigurðardóttir, project manager at the Westfjords Regional Development Office. She will present the findings of her Master’s research in Public Administration from the University of Iceland, titled Power to the Villages: From Neighbourhood Councils to Local Councils?

Municipal mergers create larger administrative units, and the arguments for consolidation often emphasize increased cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and greater professional expertise. Opponents of mergers, however, frequently argue that valuable knowledge of local communities is lost in the process, and that smaller settlements tend to be left at a disadvantage.

In her research, Steinunn examined these challenges and the approaches that have been taken to address them. A study was conducted on residents’ experiences in two multi-center municipalities — Ísafjörður and Múlaþing — focusing on their perceptions of municipal administration and services. Particular attention was given to smaller settlements in comparison with the main administrative centers.

In Ísafjörður, informal neighbourhood councils without formal decision-making authority have operated for some time. By contrast, when Múlaþing merged in 2020, it became the first municipality in Iceland to establish local councils with formal decision-making powers. Today, such councils operate in two municipalities, Múlaþing and Vesturbyggð, but research on them remains limited. The lecture will therefore seek to shed further light on the local council model within a broader academic context.

Steinunn Ása Sigurðardóttir works as a project manager at the Westfjords Regional Development Office. She recently completed an MPA degree in Public Administration from the University of Iceland and holds a BA in Political Science from the same institution.

The lunch lecture will be held in icelandic

The presentation will take place in the cafeteria at the University Centre of the Westfjords and will start at 12:10.

Join Zoom Meeting https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/62723379304