Sveitarstjórnarkosningar - 01.04.1998, Page 104

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Sameining sveitarfélaga 1993 og 1994
agreement of local govemments. A municipality must have
a minimum population of 50. If a municipality has had a
population under 50 for three consecutive years, the Ministry
has to take steps to annex it to another municipality or parts
of it to different municipalities. An exception can be made
when special circumstances would prevent the inhabitants of
the municipality concemed frorn forming a cohesive entity
with the inhabitants of the neighbouring municipality.
The Ministry is supposed to work towards the amalgama-
tion of small municipalities into stronger units. This is to be
done in co-operation with the individual municipalities, the
Association of Mimicipalities in Iceland and regional asso-
ciations ofmunicipalities. There are two types ofprocedure
for amalgamation of municipalities.
Firstly, when a municipality must be amalgamated with
another because of a small population under 50, the Ministry
appoints a committee to study the possibilities available and
make a proposal for amalgamation. If the committee comes
up with different proposals the Ministry may decide to
prescribe an election in the municipalities concemed. The
Ministry requests the opinion of the local councils and then
decides the procedure of amalgamation.
Secondly, when two or more local councils have decided
to study the possibility of amalgamation they appoint a
committee for that purpose. The committee is to co-operate
with the Ministry, which in tum may be of assistance to it.
When a proposal has been made simultaneous elections shall
be held in the municipalities concemed. A municipality
cannot be amalgamated with another or other municipalities
unless a majority of valid votes are in favour of the amalga-
mation.39 The amalgamation ofmunicipalities across parlia-
mentary constituencies can only take place through an Act
passed by the Althingi.
39 According to Act 20/1994 on amendments to the Local Govemment Act 8/
1986. In the 1986 Act it said that a municipality could not be amalgamated
with another or other municipalities if a majority of voters on the electoral
roll were against the amalgamation. According to this mle amalgamation
was legally passed in Geithellnahreppur in 1992 although a majority of the
votes cast were against it. Votes against amalgamation amounted to 32.0
per cent of the voters on the electoral roll but 51.6 per cent of valid votes (cf.
Summary V).