The previous fee decision in Trelleborg was taken in December and was immediately questioned. It was particularly striking that the chairman of the municipal board, Ann Kajson Carlqvist, would receive an increase of 75 percent to SEK 125,000 in 2024, at the same time as the economy for the common man worsened.
The decision was appealed, and after the protests and when it became clear that there was a risk of violence, as the politicians concerned had themselves participated in the decision, the board backed down. The decision was revoked, and the remuneration committee was tasked with drawing up a new proposal for the council meeting in February.
The chairman overrun
However, it wasn’t quite that simple. At the meeting of the remuneration committee on 17 February, the new proposal was ready. Chairman Sven Lindkvist (S) then had to see himself overtaken by the board’s representatives in the preparation. The board, consisting of the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, the Liberals and the Sweden Democrats, was instead sent forward its own proposal, which passed after a vote. It was this proposal that the council had to decide on on Monday evening.
Actually, Sven Lindkvist’s and the board’s proposals are quite similar. Both involve around four million kroner in savings for the municipality compared to the decision in December.
Agree on the chairman
In both proposals, the increase to Ann Kajson Carlvist is frozen at one hundred percent of the fee for a member of the Riksdag, that is, SEK 71,500 a month.
What differentiates the proposals is how the money is distributed. The board considered that the remuneration committee’s proposal favors the opposition. Conversely, the board was accused of favoring itself and betraying the promises of transparency that were made when the seats in the presidiums were withdrawn.
– A big stumbling block for us has been the inspection places with a fee of ten percent, said Helmuth Petersén (SD) in the long debate.
Fierce debate about money transfers
The chairman of the selection committee, Sven Lindkvist (S), was upset:
– At a quarter to twelve you changed the conditions and money disappeared. The board moved SEK 858,000 from the opposition to its own chairman, deputy chairman and second deputy chairman.
During the evening, alternative proposals and additional requests were made. But shortly after 10.30 p.m. the board’s proposal had been voted through.
Although the fee decision was overturned, the protests continued in Trelleborg – see the video: