- The background is that we see that the different parts of the county develop differently, and we can see a difference between the coastal municipalities and the inland municipalities.
We want to curb that, says Helena Nilsson, regional development director at Region Kalmar County.
Högsby is a pilot municipality
Högsby - which has long fought against a persistent population decline and today is a municipality that is struggling financially - is a pilot municipality for the project, which will run for two years.
The hope is that it will be possible to develop a working method that can later be used in the development work for all municipalities in the county.
- The purpose is that we will find a regional development based on the small municipality's conditions, and that we will find the measures that provide the best growth and living conditions, says Anders Johansson, municipal manager in Högsby.
However, it is not yet known what measures the project can concretely result in.
- That is what we will find and develop.
We can benefit and find the impetus to put ourselves in a regional context where, among other things, we have the advantage of being in the middle of Kalmar County, says Anders Johansson.
Part of long-term work
Anders Johansson's hope is that Högsby's residents will be able to see the results of the project within a year, and that these results will also be part of the long-term work.
- Of course, it is the long-term development of the region and of Högsby municipality that is the ultimate goal that we will work with, he says.
- The idea is that this will be a developed way of working where we together with the municipalities can come together and support development in different parts of the county, says Helena Nilsson.