THISTED: Articles about the history of Hanstholm Harbour over the last decade on DOI.dk and Kommunen.dk have created a resonance throughout Pentecost in Thisted Municipality, also at the mayor's office. In the article on Kommunen.dk, head of research Roger Buch from the Danish School of Media and Journalism compares the costs of expanding the port to potentially being in line with the Farum case measured in terms of cost size and consequences for the citizens of Thisted Municipality, if Hanstholm Port does not become a sustainable business.
- The closest we come to a similar case is the Farum case. Here the bill ended up being almost the same size as in Hanstholm for the municipality's residents, who were allowed to pay, explains the municipal researcher. The Farum case ended up being an extra tax bill for the citizens of 700 million. kr. - which was paid through the tax bill over seven years.
It is a comparison that Mayor Niels Jørgen Pedersen (V) is particularly upset about for several reasons.
- The difference is big here from and to the Farum case. Here is a finished port and a pier, and that is the significant difference, says Niels Jørgen Pedersen, who has a point, because the port is designed with an expected lifespan of no less than 100 years.
It is an expected lifespan that is even confirmed in the port's audit reports. This is also another reason why the finances around the port at 650 million kr. have been a challenge.
- If you could divide the payment over the 100 years, and not the 25 years that we have to pay back the debt, it would look completely different. It goes without saying that there would be a liquidity problem when the debt is to be settled over 25 years, explains the mayor and makes a very relevant side note:
- You can also discuss whether it should be a small municipality that has to pay for the critical port infrastructure.
Thisted Municipality currently has almost 44,000 inhabitants.
Reduced debt and tight financial management
The original debt of 630 million DKK has now been significantly reduced since the decision that Hanstholm Port should go from a self-governing port to a municipal port in the autumn of 2022.
- We repaid the overdraft and had a loan conversion made, so the debt today is approximately 452 million DKK, says Niels Jørgen Pedersen.
At the same time, the municipality has obtained a grace period on the loan for a period of five years. This gives the municipality time to start a business development in a green direction.
- Now we have time to trim the port and the business. I am also confident about the green transition. At the same time, we must not forget that the port sells fish for a billion DKK a year, says the mayor.
He also sees the fact that the municipality itself today has full responsibility for the municipal port as an advantage, unlike before. The same is true of the frequent changes in the port's management and board over the past decade, which do not look pretty.
- You might think, stop now, there are a lot of weights and pulleys in this. The dialogue between the management and the board could have been better. When you as the municipality and owner are liable, it is nice to be close. Now we are one, says Niels Jørgen Pedersen.
There are also two other things in the articles about Hanstholm Port that the mayor has thought about during Pentecost. One is the recruitment of the Liberal Kristian Jensen to the position of chairman of the port's board.
- It's not like I've brought another leftist to the port's board. The recruitment of Kristian Jensen was already initiated while Ulla Vestergaard (S) was mayor. But I'm happy to take credit for having called Michael Svane, explains the mayor about the port's last chairman of the board, who came with experience in the port and transport area.
Deputy mayor Kris Yde (C) was CEO and board member of the port's auditing firm, and the mayor is completely comfortable with that. He sees no problems with his competence in the fact that Kris Yde has sat on the city council and led the port's audit firm at the same time.
- I think there has been complete arm's length between Kris Yde's work and the audit of the port, says Niels Jørgen Pedersen.
"Responsible circumstances": Investigation not completed
In November last year, a press release from Thisted Municipality stated the following about the port:
"In addition, circumstances have been identified that may be responsible."
- This also means that we are investigating whether there are circumstances in the financial management of the port that can form the basis for claiming responsibility, the mayor said, among other things, at the time.
It is an internal investigation in the municipality, which today, after six months, has not yet been completed, the mayor tells DOI.dk.
- We do not have the results of the investigation we have initiated, yet, explains Niels Jørgen Pedersen and elaborates on how the investigation came about:
- It is based on what I was told by Michael Svane, who said that there could have been circumstances that call for liability.
But it is not certain that anything calling for liability has happened.
- Things may have happened that may have been incompetent, and that is not calling for liability. It is also difficult to prove whether anything has been calling for liability, says Niels Jørgen Pedersen, who promises to return to DOI.dk at a later date about the result of the investigation and about how the debt after the port expansion has been reduced to approximately DKK 452 million in detail. DKK.
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