Local Self-Government in Sweden A parliamentary and constitutional monarchy Three institutional levels: State County Community

Decentralisation – an old principle that is deep- rooted in the Constitution The impact of the Constitution (28th February 1974) on local authorities: Local power exerted by elected assemblies Local autonomy, especially in terms of finances Allocation of a large area of competences Local administrative structure: 21 counties, two of them (Västra Götaland and Skåne) temporarily have a “regional“ status 290 communities

Territorial competences Prefectures: civil defence and urgent services, environmental protection, regional development, social planning and equality of opportunity, Counties: sole competences: public health (health and hygiene services) dental care planning (private or public) implementing measures for regional development shared competences: cultural institutions regional public transport planning

Territorial competences Regions: - Sole competences strategy of regional development regional economic support public health - Shared competences cultural institutions regional public transport planning Municipalities: responsible for local issues that are linked with daily life

The community’s decisional bodies The Local Council: decides upon the community’s budget and the local tax rates creates municipal commissions appoints monitoring commissioners The municipality: runs and coordinates all the work within the community manages the community’s budget The commissions ensure that: the files that have to be submitted to the Local Council are worked out, the decisions of the Local Council are applied

The decisional bodies at regional level General and regional councillors: decide upon the community’s budget and the local tax rates decide upon the costs of dental care create commissions appoint monitoring commissioners The County’s and Region’s commissions: ensure daily work within the Council work out the files that have to be submitted to the Council apply the decisions of the Council assembly

Control and supervision over local governments Direct State control: The central government channels its control through various governmental bodies: - The parliamentary ombudsmen have the competence to give a verdict whether or not a decision of the local authorities violates the civil rights - The Chancellor of Justice controls the freedom of press and the freedom of expression - The County commissions - The Committee for National Education - The National Office for Health and Well-being - The National Committee for Informatics

Control and supervision over local governments Internal control over local and regional authorities: - Executive commissions - The president of the executive council has limited powers - A financial audit with independent auditors once a year Indirect juridical control: - Can only be launched by file vis-à-vis the application or execution of a municipal or regional decision. - It is both a possibility for citizens to appeal and a means for the State to control local governments.

Local financial autonomy The subsidies from the government represent approximately 20% of the revenues of the communities and about 10% of those of the County Councils. Local taxes represent 22,6% of the GPD. This is the highest rate amongst the countries of the European Union. Fiscal revenues represent 54% of all the revenues of the communities and 63% of those of the Counties. Taxes on local revenue (kommunal inkomstkaff) supply approximately 62% of the revenues of the communities and 77% of those of the County Councils.

Rather public agents than civil servants The rights and duties of the local authorities are almost in line with the ones of the private sector: - The municipalities alone decide upon the administrative and financial status of their staff, as well as their recruitment - Permanent contracts like the ones from the private sector - There is no salary scale - The trade unions have a large negotiating range