11.03.2024
Meeting press release of the the Board of the Regional Assembly
The provincial government met on Monday 11 March. At the beginning of the meeting, Project Manager Sanfrid Lindblom presented a preliminary report on the development of clean and stable energy production in the Pyhäjoki economic area. The press release and preliminary report can be found in the municipality of Pyhäjoki website.
The financial statements of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia were approved
For its part, the Provincial Government approved the report of the Board of Directors and the financial statements of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for 2023. The result for the financial year was EUR -139,592.46. A total of EUR 184 837.56 was credited from the Development Fund, corresponding to the project co-payments, resulting in a deficit/surplus of EUR 45 245.10 for the financial year.
The provincial council's deliberations will take place on 3 June. It is proposed to the Board of Governors that the surplus of EUR 45 245.10 for the financial year be entered in the surplus/deficit account of the balance sheet.
For 2023, the operating costs of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia were budgeted at EUR 6 183 536 and the actual operating costs were EUR 6 274 519.33. The largest item of expenditure was personnel costs of EUR 3 851 359.37, which increased by EUR 100 978.37 in relation to the budget. The second major item of expenditure was purchases of services amounting to EUR 1 802 329.96. They were below the budget of EUR 260 260.04.
Operating income was budgeted at EUR 6,192,236 and realised operating income was EUR 6,155,586.41. The municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia paid a total of EUR 3,628,976.04 in membership fees to the association.
Five candidates will be interviewed for the post of Administrative Director
23 applications for the post of Administrative Director of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia were received by the deadline. One of the applicants has withdrawn his or her application after the closing date for applications.
The regional government decided to invite M.Sc. (Econ.) Ulla-Kristiina Alini, M.Sc. (Econ.) Matti Bergman, M.Sc. (Econ.) Henna-Mari Laurila, M.Sc. (Econ.) Riikka Moilanen and M.Sc. (Econ.) Toni Saranpää to an interview. Interviews will be held on Monday 18 March 2024.
The Preparatory Group for Recruitment consists of the Presidium of the Provincial Government and Council, the Provincial Director and the Head of Human Resources. The Administrative Director will be elected at the meeting of the Provincial Government on 15 April 2024.
The post will be filled as of 1 August 2024. The current Administrative Director Riitta Pitkänen will retire in September 2024.
Cooperation negotiations of Karelia ENI CBC programme begin
Due to the gradual termination of the Karelia ENI CBC programme, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has initiated co-operation negotiations, which may lead to redundancies of personnel. Currently, the work in the Karelia ENI CBC programme focuses on the closure of projects and the closure of the programme. The tasks are expected to be phased out by the end of February 2025. Karelia ENI CBC currently employs four people, all of whom are in an open-ended employment relationship and one person has a parallel fixed-term employment relationship until 30 June 2025 in addition to an open-ended employment relationship.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia acts as the managing authority of the Karelia ENI CBC programme. On 2 March 2022, the European Commission announced that it would suspend cooperation with the Russian Federation on CBC programmes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The implementation plan examines the perspective of security of supply and overall safety
The priorities of the Regional Programme for Northern Ostrobothnia have numerous interfaces for overall safety and security of supply. In order to identify the key actions of these themes, an implementation plan for security of supply and comprehensive security for 2024-2025 has been drawn up under the leadership of the Regional Council. The plan focuses on the development of RDI activities, the development of business and industry sectors, and the smooth everyday life and security of people.
Representatives of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia appointed to the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR)
Member of the regional government Sari Nurro was appointed as the representative of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and member of the regional government Lauri Nikula as the deputy representative to the CPMR until the end of 2025. Based on the rotation of the Finnish delegation of CPMR, the representative of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia will act as a deputy member of the Executive Committee of the Baltic Sea Commission as of May 2024. The rotation of the Finnish delegation is two years. Earlier, Jari Leathernen, who passed away in February, served as the representative of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia in the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission.
Approval of missions of CPMR working group representatives and nominations for the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission Annual Meeting, CPMR Annual Meeting and Harnessing the potential of the green transition and securing the stability of the European Arctic for an attractive and resilient Europe
The provincial government approved the travel of persons elected by the Provincial Union to the CPMR working groups until the end of 2025, when the travel is related to the position of a member of the CPMR working group.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia will be represented in the Finnish Parliament on 9 April 2024 by the Chairperson of the Regional Council, the Chairperson of the Regional Government, the Chairperson of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission's Maritime Working Group and the Head of International Affairs at an event prepared by the Arctic Stakeholder Group of the Baltic Sea Commission.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia will be represented at the annual meeting of the Baltic Sea Commission in Kotka from 21 to 23 May 2024 by a representative of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia (CPMR), the President of the Regional Government, and representatives elected by the Regional Council to its working groups or, if they are prevented from doing so, their personal deputies, the Development Director and the Head of International Affairs.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is represented at the 52nd annual meeting of the CPMR in Gozo, Malta, from 2 to 4 October 2024 by the President of the Provincial Government, the Provincial Director, a representative of the CPMR of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the Head of International Affairs.
Meeting schedule of the Provincial Government in autumn 2024
In autumn 2024, the meetings of the Provincial Government will be held on 19 August, 17 September, 14 October, 11 November and 17 December. The meeting of the provincial council is planned to be held on Monday, 9 December 2024. The dates and venues of the meetings will be announced on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia.
Changes in membership
- The Regional Government appointed Mari-Leena Talvitie, Chair of the Regional Council, Jouni Jussinniemi, 1st Vice-Chair of the Regional Council, Jarmo Haapaniemi, 2nd Vice-Chair of the Regional Council, Tuomas Okkonen, 3rd Vice-Chair of the Regional Council, Jussi Ylitalo, Chair of the Regional Council, Esa Aalto, Vice-Chair of the Regional Council, and Jussi Rämet, Regional Director.
- It is proposed to the provincial council that it elect a new member to replace Jari Leathernen, who has died in the provincial government, for the remainder of his term of office.
- Director General Kaisa Ainasoja was appointed as a full member of the regional cooperation group and Director Maria Siurua as a deputy member.
- Maarit Jutila from Alavieska was appointed as an alternate member of the regional cooperation group.
- At its meeting on 14 December 2023, Utajärvi Municipal Council granted Riikka Juntunen a resignation from the deputy seat of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and elected Sanna Kauppinen as a new deputy member of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for the remainder of her term of office.
In brief
- An internal audit report for 2023 was noted.
- A discussion was held on the revision of the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council's teleworking guidelines.
- The Provincial Government denied the President of the Provincial Government and the President of the Provincial Council the contents of the Provincial Director's assessment and target discussion. The content of the discussion will be brought to the Provincial Government for information.
- From 2 to 5 April in Brussels. Connecting Europe Days. The event will be attended by Jouni Jussinniemi from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and Lauri Romppainen, a regional engineer appointed to the CPMR Transport Working Group.
- Regional Director's decisions for the period 6 February - 4 March 2024
- Statements by the Office for the period 6 February - 4 March 2024
Agendas and minutes
the the Board of the Regional Assembly agenda
the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region agendas and minutes
Additional information
Jussi Ylitalo, President of the the Board of the Regional Assembly, tel. +358 45 160 6466
Jussi Rämet, Regional Director, tel. +358 40 586 3877
