The municipal council approved the service network plan
The council approved (June 1, 2026) the 2025 financial statements. The fiscal year deficit was -1.2 million euros, which was 0.7 million euros better than the revised budget and 3.8 million euros weaker than in 2024. The original budget was prepared with a deficit of -1.6 million euros.
The annual margin (operating balance) for 2025 was approximately 6.0 million euros, compared with 8.8 million euros the previous year. The annual margin weakened as operating expenses grew faster than tax funding and operating income. The annual margin in 2025 was 376 euros per inhabitant and 552 euros per inhabitant in 2024.
Budget changes were approved as proposed
Several budget changes for the current year were made at the meeting.
Many of these are related to measures in the financial balancing program and appear as reductions in divisions’ personnel expenses and purchases. In addition, the budget is being adjusted, for example, in line with revised tax revenue forecasts and state subsidy calculations.
Service network plan approved
The council approved the 2026–2040 service network plan as a guiding document for preparation and decision-making and decided to begin implementing it based on scenario option 1 up to 2030.
In the scenario, the municipality concentrates services and reduces properties in a controlled manner. Daycare centers will be merged and private early childhood education will be increased. Four primary schools will be closed (council decisions April 27, 2026), teaching will be concentrated in Tervakoski and a new school complex will be built in Turenki. Library, youth and sports services will be modestly reduced. The goal is to reduce operating expenses and the repair backlog without very large service cuts. A separate study on the much-discussed swimming hall will be carried out in 2027.
In the later period 2031–2040, the focus will be on major renovations and multifunctionality of existing buildings. Schools and daycare centers will be renovated as needed, the library-sports hall and the municipal hall will be renewed, and electronic services will be developed. The model aims to preserve services more broadly, but the investment need is large.
The full service network report can be read in the appendices to the agenda (in Finnish). A few action proposals were made to the service network concerning building maintenance and vandalism prevention, as well as a review of municipal supplements for home childcare.
New building ordinance
The council also approved the new building ordinance, the most significant changes of which are:
- the ordinance lists permit-required and permit-exempt construction projects in accordance with the Building Act.
Regulations in rural areas
- The minimum plot size of 2,000 m2 for building plots in rural areas is retained (the minimum size in the Building Act is 1,000 m2).
- Two separate detached houses are allowed to be built on a single plot.
- Added regulation on the building rights of holiday homes outside the shoreline area: outside the shoreline area the maximum building right for holiday residential plots is 7% of the plot area, but at least 100 and at most 300 km2.
Regulations in shoreline areas
- Minimum distances for permit-exempt buildings (e.g. lakeside saunas) have been removed. This has been replaced by the definition of a 15-metre-wide green buffer zone where buildings and structures may not be placed.
- The minimum building distance from a neighbour’s property boundary has been changed 5 m -> 4 m.
- The minimum building right for shoreline areas has been increased 60 -> 80 km2.
- The presence of a stove in the building determines the building’s intended use and permit requirements.
In addition, corrections have been made to the building ordinance concerning fences, waste shelters and piers.
All other provisions were decided as proposed.
One council initiative was made regarding monitoring the savings and other consequences resulting from the school closures.
Meeting materials can be found on the agenda (in Finnish).
The minutes will be published here after verification (in Finnish).