RUS in Piteå: "The Kul account must be prioritized"

Piteå's vision is to be the best place to live. If it is to be realized, it must, among other things, be easy to have fun. “Culture should lead the way in development,” said Roger Norén at Studio Acusticum during the RUS dialogue in Piteå.

Lena Stark, who works with sustainability in the municipality, pointed out that it is often the soft issues that are neglected in favor of economic growth and GRP. She sees a risk that this imbalance will be reinforced by the efforts and investments that are made.

Several participants highlighted the importance of culture. Kristina Englund, Piteå Municipality, called for a Norrbotten ticket that would be valid throughout the county.

Cultural Secretary Kristina Englund discusses the importance of culture together with Anna-Karin Hagström, music teacher, and Emelie Elfving, director of Piteå Museum.

– There is a rich cultural offering, but you don't always find it. Associations don't reach out with all the great things that are being done, she said.

She was supported by municipal councilor Patric Lundström (S):
– The fun account must be prioritized. We have a rich cultural life in Piteå that we must nurture.

Thomas Backeström, Piteå Municipality, Roger Norén, Studio Acusticum work together with Inger Kyösti, Red Cross and Lena Stark, Piteå Municipality during the workshop.

Roger Norén at Studio Acusticum said that more culture-driven development is needed in the municipality:

– Culture must be the goal and not a means. Culture must lead the way for development. Culture cannot be seen as a separate part, said Roger Norén.

Henrik Bucht, Piteå Science Park, sees the Piteå archipelago as an underutilized resource for rich leisure in the municipality.

– We need to make the archipelago accessible to more people. Today, only those who have their own boat can go out. We need to create attractive meeting places so that more people can stay in the archipelago, he said.

Skills supply, and the shortage of labor in the municipality today, is an issue that recurred during the dialogue meeting. Could planning and internationalization be the solution?

The commitment of the participants is great when the future of Norrbotten is discussed.

– It is difficult to recruit staff. A joint skills supply plan should be established within Piteå municipality so that staff are not torn apart. It is also difficult to hire English-speaking staff. We need to work on attitudes and values ​​towards people who come from other cultures and speak a different language, said Erik Lundström, deputy principal at Framnäs Folk High School.

Maria Öberg at Piteå Municipality believes that municipalities need to get better at marketing themselves so that more people want to establish themselves, live and work in Piteå Municipality. But in order for workers to be able to move in, the municipality needs to obtain planning readiness and prepare for new housing even before an establishment is announced.

Ulrika Nilsson, Region Norrbotten, Stefan Lundmark, development strategist and Maria Öberg, community developer, both Piteå Municipality, discuss what goals they see for Piteå in the future.

Some workshop participants raised the need for an improved business climate in Piteå.

– There is an old culture in the walls and that it has effects on Piteå Municipality's position in the business ranking. Reception is about attitude. We have to start saying yes, together we can solve things, said Göran Carlsson at Northern CapSek Ventures.

Christer Lindström, process manager at Piteå Municipality, proposed an exchange program between companies and the public sector.

– Increased understanding between the municipality and the business community is needed.

Municipal councilor Patric Lundström (S) in the middle believes that the supply of skills is Piteå's biggest problem. Others in the picture from left: Catharina Lundqvist, Sara Holm and Göran Carlson.

Piteå has many of the same challenges as the rest of the county, such as skills supply and housing shortages. And that is why collaboration is needed, said municipal councilor Patric Lundström (S):

– We must replace the “We can do it ourselves” mindset. We must cooperate with both municipalities, regions and county administrative boards in Västerbotten and in Norrbotten and have regular meetings. Piteå has the same challenges as all of Norrbotten. The supply of skills is Piteå's biggest problem. There are jobs, but there is a lack of housing, he said.

Text: Sara Stylbäck Vesa
Picture: Christine Hemdal Sandling