Vaksdal Municipality

Template:ErrorTemplate:Category handler is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Dalekvam. Other villages in the municipality include Dalegarden, Flatkvål, Helle, Nesheim, Stamneshella, Stanghelle, and Vaksdal.

The municipality is the 160th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Vaksdal Municipality is the 209th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,875. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

File:Bergsdalen kyrkje.jpg

Bergsdalen Church

File:Vaksdal.jpg

View of the village of Vaksdal

The municipality of Vaksdal was created on 1 January 1964 after a major municipal restructuring after the Schei Committee's recommendations. Vaksdal Municipality was created by merging the following places:

• all of Bruvik Municipality, except for the Bruvikbygda area on the island of Osterøy (population: 5,264)
• the Bergsdalen and Eksingedalen valleys from Evanger Municipality (population: 251)
• the rest of the Eksingedalen valley that was located in Modalen Municipality (population: 151)

Historically, this municipality was part of the old Hordaland county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Vestland county (after Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane counties were merged).

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the village of Vaksdal (Template:Langx), one of the main villages in the municipality. The first element is the genitive case of the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "bay" or "inlet". The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "valley" or "dale". Alternately, the first part of the name could be derived from a local river name spelled Vaxa or Veksa which would mean the valley of the river Vaxa/Veksa.

Coat of arms

On 1 January 1964, the new Vaksdal Municipality was established upon the merger of Bruvik Municipality with some neighboring areas. The old coat of arms for Bruvik Municipality was carried over to the new municipality. Bruvik's arms were granted on 14 December 1960, just a few years earlier, and they were in use until 16 November 1990 when a new design was approved. The blazon for the old arms was "Azure, a chevron over a cogwheel argent". This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a cogwheel with a chevron shape above it. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design was chosen to symbolize the importance of industry in the municipality. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

A new coat of arms was granted on 16 November 1990 to replace the old arms. The official blazon is "Or, three shuttles sable palewise two and one" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a field (background) has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is a set of three shuttles for weaving that are lined up vertically. The shuttles were chosen to represent the past and present textile industry of the municipality. The Dale of Norway company is based here and it is an international company renowned for its wool sweaters. The arms were designed by Charles Lunde, a graphic designer who based the design on an idea by the local artist E. Eriksen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

The Church of Norway has six parishes () within Vaksdal Municipality. It is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Vaksdal Municipality

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Bergsdalen	Bergsdalen Church	Bergsdalen	1955
Dale	Dale Church	Dalekvam	1956
Eksingedal	Eksingedal Church	Flatkvål	1883
Nesheim	Nesheim Church	Nesheim	1908
Stamnes	Stamnes Church	Stamneshella	1861
Vaksdal	Vaksdal Church	Vaksdal	1933

Geography

File:Stanghelle 2.JPG

View of Stanghelle and the surrounding mountains and valleys

File:Bergovatnet Eksingedalen.jpg

View of the Eksingedalen valley

The municipality is mountainous, and stretches along both sides of the Veafjorden with adjacent valleys. It includes part of the island Osterøy. The Kallestadsundet Bridge connects the mainland of Vaksdal to the island of Osterøy. In the north, it includes the valleys of Eksingedalen and Bergsdalen, with its borders extending into the mountains. The highest point in the municipality is the tall mountain Skjerjavasshovden in the northern part of the municipality. Major lakes in the municipality include Askjelldalsvatnet and Skjerjavatnet.

The main centers of population are Dale (pop. 1,159), Vaksdal (pop. 941), and Stanghelle (pop. 801). Dale and Vaksdal are industrial villages that arose around factories utilising the hydro-electric power resources provided by the mountainous terrain and rainy climate. The Bergensbanen railway line between Norway's two largest cities Oslo and Bergen, and the main road between the same two cities, European route E16, run through Vaksdal municipality. The Bergensbanen railway line has the following stations in Vaksdal: Bogegrend Station, Dale Station, Stanghelle Station, and Vaksdal Station

History

Vaksdal Municipality was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of parts of Bruvik Municipality, Evanger Municipality, and Modalen Municipality.

During the German invasion of Norway during World War II, from 19 April to 24 April, there was heavy fighting in the areas that make up the present municipality, with German forces advancing along the railway line from Bergen towards Voss. The heaviest fighting was for the village of Vaksdal itself, from 19 to 23 April. Further fighting took place at Stanghelle and Dalseid on 23 and 24 April. Three Norwegian soldiers and one civilian, and a larger, but unknown, number of German soldiers fell in Vaksdal.

Government

Vaksdal Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Hordaland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Vaksdal Municipality is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2023–2027   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	3
	Industry and Business Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Red Party	1
	Centre Party	4
	Socialist Left Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2019–2023   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	4
	Socialist Left Party	4
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2015–2019   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Progress Party	1
	Green Party	1
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	4
	Socialist Left Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2011–2015   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2007–2011   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	2
	Socialist Left Party	2
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 2003–2007   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	4
	Centre Party	2
	Local list for Stamnes/Eidsland	2
	Local list for Vaksdal	3
	Unity and Development List	2
Total number of members:		21

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1999–2003   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	3
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list for Stamnes/Eidsland	4
	Environment and development list	1
	Independent Common List	3
Total number of members:		29

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1995–1999   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	2
	Local list for Stamnes	2
	Independent Common List	3
Total number of members:		29

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1991–1995   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	3
	Local list for Stamnes	2
Total number of members:		29

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1987–1991   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Joint list of the Liberal Party and Liberal People's Party	1
Total number of members:		29

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1983–1987   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Liberal People's Party	1
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Joint list of the Centre Party  and the Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		29

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1979–1983   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	15
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	New People's Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		31

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1975–1979   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	17
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	New People's Party	3
	Centre Party	4
Total number of members:		31

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1971–1975   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	17
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		31

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1967–1971   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	17
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist People's Party	1
	Liberal Party	4
	Local List(s)	1
Total number of members:		31

Vaksdal kommunestyre 1963–1967   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	18
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist People's Party	1
	Liberal Party	4
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	1
Total number of members:		31
Note: On 1 January 1964, Vaksdal Municipality was created from parts of Bruvik Municipality, Evanger Municipality, and Modalen Municipality.

Mayor

The mayor (Template:Langx) of Vaksdal Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:

• 1964–1967: Arnold Prestegaard (Ap)
• 1967–1969: Otto Vågen (Ap)
• 1969–1971: Arnold Prestegaard (Ap)
• 1971–1983: Idar Soltvedt (Ap)
• 1983–1999: Otto Berg (Ap)
• 1999–2007: Øivind Olsnes (H)
• 2007–2019: Eirik Haga (Ap)
• 2019–present: Hege Eide Vik (Sp)

Police

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Vaksdal be closed.

Notable people

• Harald Langhelle (1890 in Dale – executed 1942), a newspaper editor, politician, and Norwegian resistance member
• Bjørn Wiik (1937 in Bruvik - 1999), an elementary particle physicist
• Sjur Olsnes (1939–2014), a biochemist and academic who grew up in Vaksdal
• Helén Eriksen (born 1971 in Dale), a jazz musician (saxophone and vocals), songwriter, and music arranger
• Trond Egil Soltvedt(Born 1967 in Stanghelle), a former professional football player for English Premier League clubs
• Frida Amundsen (born 1992 in Vaksdal), a singer and songwriter

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway Template:In lang