Annual Report 2009
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City of Helsinki Annual Report 2009 irri t Matti Matti Contents: A message from the Mayor 3 Development in the hands of the City Council 4 The Mayor’s sector 6 Public works and environmental affairs 8 Social affairs and public health 10 Cultural and personnel affairs 12 City planning and real estate 14 Financial statements 2009 16 Bericht des Oberbürgermeisters 22 Rapport annuel du maire de Helsinki 23 24 Brief facts about Helsinki 25 City of Helsinki 26 Publisher: Helsinki City Administration Centre n Translations: Translatinki Oy Graphic design & layout: Innocorp Oy n Photographs: Helsinki City Picture Archives n Cover photo: Kimmo Brandt Printers: Newprint 2010 n ISSN 1237-5063 n ISBN 978-952-223-642-5 A message from the Mayor N he global economic recession plan for the three municipalities. The e N had a strong impact on munic- vacated port areas near the city centre ipal finances in 2009. After a are now in the successful initial stag- T Pertti Niso few years of positive development es of being transformed into distinc- in tax revenues, they showed a weak tive residential zones. A strong focus development in 2009. on the development of public trans- Despite a weakened revenue base, port continued. Quarrying work for the Helsinki decided, unlike many oth- west metro commenced in autumn er municipalities, to refrain from mak- 2009. ing any sudden cuts in its operating Concrete results were achieved in expenses in 2009. This was regard- regional cooperation, along with the ed as a recovery solution and as part establishment of two joint municipal of supporting the national economy. authorities in June 2009. The Helsin- Investments were kept at planned ki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) high levels and the resulting financing and the HSY Helsinki Region Envi- gap was balanced by the City taking ronmental Services Authority started on an increased debt. operations at the beginning of 2010. In Knowing that the City of Helsinki’s December, the State and the Helsinki loan portfolio would not increase any Metropolitan Area municipalities com- further after 2012 provided the start- pleted their long negotiation process ing point for the decisions made on by signing a letter of intent, the objec- the budget for 2010. The drop in tax tive of which is to improve employ- revenue must be recouped during ment opportunities for immigrants. 2010–2012. The 14 Helsinki region municipali- trial Design (Icsid) appointed Helsinki In spring 2009 the new City Coun- ties approved a shared vision accord- to be the World Design Capital 2012. cil, which started its four-year term at ing to which the region will be devel- In addition to the Helsinki Metropolitan the beginning of 2009, approved the oped. The pros and cons of the Area cities and the City of Lahti, this first strategy programme covering the possible merger of Helsinki and Van- broad partnership project also involves entire term. The strategy programme taa as well as the two-step region- participation by the State, commerce presents the major objectives, devel- al administration of the 14 municipali- and industry and the higher education opment objects and measures car- ties are investigated in reports that are sector as well as various organisations ried out when organising services. The scheduled to be completed by the end in the design field. The position of new strategy programme functioned of 2010. World Design Capital will bring a large as a basis for preparing the budget for In the latter part of the year, the number of design events to the Hel- 2010. wellbeing of Helsinki’s residents was sinki region and provide international Helsinki will have good opportuni- threatened by the influenza pandemic. visibility. It will be a fitting complement ties to offer a large variety of housing Fortunately, the fatality rate was less to the array of events organised for our solutions to the growing population severe than expected. By the end of jubilee year in 2012 when the City of over the coming years. The planning of 2009, a total of 200,000 Helsinki resi- Helsinki will celebrate 200 years as the the Östersundom major district, which dents had received immunisation. capital of our country. n was annexed to Helsinki at the begin- The best news of 2009 was ning of 2009, has been started, and received in November, when the Inter- Jussi Pajunen the objective is to create a joint master national Council of Societies of Indus- Mayor Annual Report 2009 n City of Helsinki 3 Development in the hands of the City Council nder the division of powers the 85 members of which are elected between central and local gov- by direct popular vote every four years. Uernment in Finland, municipal- The City Council elects its own Chair ities enjoy autonomy in the adminis- and two Deputy Chairs, the members tration of many of their affairs. Certain of the City Board as well as the mem- basic tasks are stipulated in the Local bers of the various committees in pro- Government Act, and in addition to portion to the relative strengths of the these, municipalities may voluntar- various parties represented on it. The ily assume others. The only way in other main tasks of the City Council which the tasks entrusted to munici- include deliberating budgets and bal- palities can be altered is by amending ancing accounts, in addition to setting the Local Government Act or by special the general goals to be striven for by legislation. the City. Chairman of the City Council The City Council meetings are open Otto Lehtipuu The City Council to the public and media, if not other- Green The most important decision-making wise decreed by the Council on special body in Helsinki is the City Council, occasions. City Council 2009 City Council 2009 First Deputy Chairman 85 members representing the following political parties: Harry Bogomoloff • National Coalition • Left Wing alliance 7 • Christian Democrats 2 Conservative (Conservative) 26 • swedish People’s Party 5 • Communist Party of Finland • Green League of Finland 21 • true Finns Party 4 (Unity) 1 • social Democratic Party 16 • Centre Party 3 City Board 2009 Auditor 15 members representing the following political parties: Auditor Committee • National Coalition (Conservative) 5 • Green League of Finland 4 audit Department • social Democratic Party 3 • Left Wing alliance 1 Second Deputy Chairman • swedish People’s Party 1 Rakel Hiltunen • Centre Party 1 Social Democrat 29 committees with 9–13 members each; selected by City Council 4 City of Helsinki n Annual Report 2009 City Board Mayor and Deputy Mayors The City Board is responsible for The Mayor and the four Deputy May- n■ administration and financial ors are each responsible for distinct management sectors of work and report to the City n■ preparatory processing of business Board. They follow activities in their to be dealt with by the City Council respective segments and oversee the n■ implementation of Council implementation of decisions. They decisions are also responsible for preparato- n■ examining the legality of Council ry processing of business within their decisions remits and for reporting to the City The fifteen members of the City Board Board on these matters. n are elected by the City Council for two- year terms and in proportion to the Council’s political composition. Chairman of the City Board Risto Rautava Conservative Departments and Offices Deputy Mayor for public works Mayor and environmental affairs First Deputy Chairman • administration Centre • City transport Arto Bryggare • audit Department, General administration • Construction services Social Democrat • economic and Planning Centre • environment Centre • Financial Management • Fire and rescue Department • Helsinki energy • Helsinki Wholesale Market • Helsinki Water • MetropoliLab • Port of Helsinki • Palmia • Public Works Department • supplies Department Deputy Mayor for social affairs Deputy Mayor for city planning and public health and real estate • social services Department • City Planning Department • Health Centre • Building regulation Department • Housing Production Bureau • real estate Department Second Deputy Chairman Mari Puoskari Green Deputy Mayor for cultural and personnel affairs • Finnish adult education Centre • Helsinki Urban Facts • swedish adult education Centre • Helsinki Zoo • Bureau of the Helsinki Philharmonic orchestra • Human resources Department • City art Museum • Human resources Department service • City Library • occupational Health Centre • City Museum • sports Department • Cultural Centre • Youth Department • educational Department Annual Report 2009 n City of Helsinki 5 1-tasonThe Mayor’s otsikko sector tähän The recession decreased the Port of N Helsinki’s recovery measures e N The effects of the global economic Helsinki’s unitised cargo traffic by more recession were also clearly evident in than 20 per cent. In the latter part of Pertti Niso the municipal finances in 2009. After 2009, cargo traffic picked up again. A a few years of positive development new record was established in passen- in tax revenues, they showed a weak ger traffic. The Port of Helsinki’s turn- development in 2009. In Helsinki, the over was smaller than in the previous accrued amount of tax revenue was year. The surplus before reserves was clearly less than anticipated. EUR 3.4 million. Investments were sig- Unlike many other municipali- nificantly smaller than in the previous ties, Helsinki decided to refrain from year. making any sudden cuts in its oper- The Financial Management Serv- ating expenses. This was regarded ices (Talpa), which started as a public as a recovery solution and as part of utility at the beginning of 2009, pro- Mayor of Helsinki supporting the entire national econ- vides financial and pay-roll manage- Jussi Pajunen omy. Operating expenses exclud- ment services to the City of Helsin- ing municipal enterprises grew less ki. Its turnover was EUR 24.4 million. • General planning and management than in the previous year, but the • Budget and financial planning increase was, nevertheless, about Growth and cooperation • accounts 6.5 per cent.