Bornholm Residents' Verdict on the Unitary Authority's First Year

Bornholm is a pioneer when it comes to local authority amalgamation. The island's councillors, council employees and residents have implemented such a merger and reaped the first years’ harvest of experiences – good and bad. This report presents the residents' evaluations of, and reactions to, the amalgamation process. It emerges that they have become distinctly more critical towards it than when a clear majority voted in favour of amalgamation in May 2001. They have an unfavourable view of the amalgamation process, and have so far found it difficult to see the improvements in services and elsewhere that were held out in prospect. It is not known whether this critical attitude will last, and therefore this study will be followed up in 2005, when the initial turbulent period is over. In the meantime, it is hoped that the early experiences from Bornholm's merger can be used in other Danish local government districts on the verge of amalgamation.