Hembygsföreningen has run Ljungby Museum with the help of non-profit forces and employees since 1998. The exhibition includes, among other things, clothing from the 18th century and opera singer Kristina Nilsson's grand piano.

The municipality pays the rent and electricity according to an agreement.

With the help of the Employment Service, three people have been employed part-time, but the contributions from there have decreased over the years, and now the money has run out.

All three employees will therefore be unemployed from the end of January 2023 - unless money comes in from elsewhere.

"Is there money"

Lena Bergman is responsible for the operation of the museum, and she also sits on the municipal audit as a politician for the Left Party.

She believes that it is the municipality's responsibility to contribute to the money that is missing.

- I know how the municipality's finances are, and I know that SEK 150,000 per year would not make the municipality bankrupt.

The municipality says no

The municipality has said no to contributing money as it is against the municipal law to give grants for personnel costs.

- As a municipality, we must work according to the principle of equal treatment, and this also applies to non-profit associations.

Therefore, we cannot give the museum a grant for personnel costs, says Ulla Hansson (M), chairman of the culture and leisure board.

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be enabled to play video

Read more about browser support

Hear Ulla Hansson (M) respond to the criticism that the municipality is not saving the museum from closure.

Photo: SVT

The solution: IOP

Now the municipality is investigating whether the museum can be run as an IOP (conceptual public partnership), but it may take time before all the pieces for an agreement are in place.

And time costs money, the museum believes.

- If we can't continue our business now, and we have to remain closed, then the municipality will get nothing for the costs of electricity and rent.

Then there will only be expenses when it is closed here, says Lena Bergman.