– There is no room for change

Reductions framework from the municipality of 15 million Norwegian kroner. A total restructuring of NOK 28 million is required. But instead of focusing on the fact that there is again a tight budget in the Grod district, city manager Ayoub Tughra will point out 27,456 residents who will be over budget.

– This is a budget for the residents of Grorud, these are the ones for whom we are there. We are present in the entire region. It is the pregnant woman who needs extra help, who has to get a place in the nursing home, the newly unemployed young couple, the mentally ill, all the children in kindergarten and school. As a region, we have equal responsibility to everyone.

public image

Although most people lead a normal life in the Grorud area, there are some challenges that inevitably affect working on a budget. The region has nearly twice as many people receiving disability benefits than the average in Oslo, and 16 percent of children grow up in low-income families.

In addition, participation in kindergarten is still less than desired. There are language challenges at the beginning of school, in working life, and when participating in the local community. Despite many challenges, it is emphasized that the region has managed to provide good services to the residents, with good results figures in achieving the goal.

If you compare yourself with other regions and neighboring municipalities in some service areas, Grorud comes out well. – Efforts in preventive work have been strengthened, cooperation and collaboration have improved, and we continue to focus on public health, says Ayoub Tughra.

Where does it cut?

Thus, the total need for restructuring is NOK 28 million, which simply means in daily talk that the region must find a way to cut 28 million in the budget for 2022. The three biggest cuts can be found in wage costs, in jobs in the region, and in preventive action.

Streamlining wage costs saves NOK 9 million, which is completely ineffective. Seven forfeited positions in the daycare service save 6 million NOK, and it may seem overwhelming.

– It is about the closure of the central kindergarten in Rumsas, explains Tughra, assuring that this will not exceed the offer of the kindergarten in the region.

The last point is 7 million saved in preventive work.

– It’s very exciting that we have to cut pre-emptive work, but I think it’s justified, and I have good faith that the things we’ve started in this area will ensure that the show is still more than good enough.

Focus areas

District Manager Tughra is concerned that the public image is the most important in the district.

We must ensure that all residents have a satisfactory presentation, even if it is always the case that some shout louder than others.

Although the budget is far from wide, Tughra would like to point out that the focus on children and youth culture will continue.

– We maintain the level from 2021, spending 5 million kroner more than what the city council framework suggests.

In addition, they continue to focus additionally on the district of Rumsa, which has a population of 7,000. A lot of money from the Groruddals Initiative is used here, and because that money doesn’t appear in the city budget, the effort may seem less than it actually is.

– There is no room for change

For Ayoub Tughra, the first years in the chair used to arrange the expenses of the district.

– Now we have been able to stop negative economic development.

With that said, the budget is bound to be tight, and Tughra admits he’s excited about the town hall research before Christmas.

As we can see, there is no room for any changes.

A rule of thumb is that the region’s budget framework be changed to some extent through the revision of Oslo and state budgets. “Usually,” city managers recommend putting any extra money into a so-called temporary reserve, while local politicians would love to see the opportunity to allocate more to illegal tasks. This time is a little different in Grorud.

– If the framework is strengthened, I recommend using it to reverse the cuts we can from we had to make, says Tughra.

First impression

Local politicians got their hands on the budget proposal after Thursday night’s BU meeting, and although the party groups had yet to sit down and finish the discussion, it was possible to get some first impressions from local politicians.

There is clearly a tight city economy. Therefore, I am glad that the administration has found space for the cultural and volunteer funds that we in the city council usually have to fight for, says BU leader Anders Røberg-Larsen (Labour).

He says the treatment time helps to budget properly in the seams, especially the cuts and savings.

– Then we can hope to drip a little bit into the regions with the revised municipal and state budget.

Youth Club and Kindergarten

Frps Vidar Haugan noticed one thing in particular:

– The region reaps prizes for youth work, and some youth and clubs benefit from them. While the stedda is eaten with the crumbs every year.

He points out that the “fixed” amount of 100,000 each year covers a little less each time.

– Therefore, I will suggest that when the county organizes conferences for young workers, they cover the costs of lost wages to the workers in Steda – within the budget, not from voluntary funds.

Mari Rise Knutsen from Rødt takes the pressure off the region’s economy.

– that in small Grorud we have to cut 15.8 million, it will of course have an impact on social welfare services and the safety net for those who need it most

Although the focus is on Romasas, it is proposed to close the Central Kindergarten. Reese Knutsen believes that saving money in this part of the region would be a very short-term solution.

It’s like peeing in your pants to keep warm.