A new, democratically elected regional organization

Parliament has also resolved that, with effect from 1999, Västra Götaland is to have a completely new form of regional organization that will be controlled by a directly-elected assembly. When they go to the polls in the 1998 General Election, the population of the new administrative region will also have the opportunity to elect representatives to this new regional assembly.

The new regional organization for self-government will then take over the responsibilities at present vested in the Skaraborg, Älvsborg and Bohuslän county councils and part of those vested in Göteborg City Council where, for example, the operation of health and welfare services, certain aspects of public transport, regional cultural and educational issues and political issues affecting the region as a whole are concerned. For the duration of a trial period the new regional organization will also take over responsibility for certain aspects of regional development and planning, including those concerning regional infrastructure. At the present time responsibility for these aspects rests with the three provincial administrations. The county councils themselves will cease to exist with effect from 1999.

The task of building up the new, democratically elected regional organization will be undertaken from the population's perspective and will therefore be led by representatives of the population: the politicians from the various municipalities that go to make up the new administrative region and from the existing county councils. These politicians have between them formed the Council for Western Sweden, whose 27 members have been nominated by the party organizations in the region.

Parliament has also resolved that, while the task of building up the new organization is going on, allocation of responsibilities in general within the region is to be the subject of review. The principle is to be that of subsidiarity, i.e. that decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level. Consequently, in addition to the county councils, all the 49 municipalities that will go to make up the new administrative region will be involved in the task of building up the new organization, in various different ways.