Velfjord is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The 600-square-kilometre (230 sq mi) municipality existed from 1875 until its dissolution in 1964. Velfjord municipality was centered around the Velfjorden in what is now Brønnøy Municipality. Most of the municipality is located on the mainland, but it also includes nearly 100 small islands, islet, and skjerries. The administrative centre was the village of Hommelstø at the innermost part of the fjord. Velfjord Church lies just west of Hommelstø.[2][3]
Velfjord herred | |
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Former municipality | |
![]() View of the Sørfjorden arm of the Velfjorden | |
![]() Nordland within Norway | |
![]() Velfjord within Nordland | |
Coordinates: 65°24′17″N 12°31′19″E | |
Country | Norway |
County | Nordland |
District | Helgeland |
Established | 1 Oct 1875 |
• Preceded by | Brønnøy Municipality |
Disestablished | 1 Jan 1964 |
• Succeeded by | Brønnøy Municipality |
Administrative centre | Hommelstø |
Area (upon dissolution) | |
• Total | 600 km2 (200 sq mi) |
Population (1964) | |
• Total | 1,380 |
• Density | 2.3/km2 (6.0/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Velfjording[1] |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
ISO 3166 code | NO-1813 |
The municipality of Velfjord was created on 1 October 1875 when the large Brønnøy Municipality was divided into Brønnøy (in the west) and Velfjord (in the east). Initially, Velfjord had a population of 1,162. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Velfjord Municipality (population: 1,380) was merged with the town of Brønnøysund (population: 2,064), Sømna Municipality (population: 2,347), Brønnøy Municipality (population: 2,635), and the Lande area of Bindal Municipality to form a new, enlarged Brønnøy Municipality.[4]
All municipalities in Norway, including Velfjord, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elects a mayor.[5]
The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Velfjord was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 2 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 | |
Total number of members: | 13 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 2 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 13 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 6 | |
Total number of members: | 12 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
Total number of members: | 12 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 3 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 12 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 12 | |
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |
Nordland county, Norway | |||||||
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