Merger problem · Initiatives for regional administration (examination of form of autonomy)
Update: April 2, 2009
Responsibilities: Planning Division Corporate Planning Division
Niseko Town, we participated in a merger meeting of five nearby municipalities from 2003, examined the appearance of the town in the event of a merger, and created a “Financial Crisis Breakthrough Plan” showing the appearance of a merger. I have been considering it.Responsibilities: Planning Division Corporate Planning Division
As a result, Niseko Town has determined that it is difficult to merge under the Special Merger Law (former law), which expires in March 2005. Under the merger new law since April 2005, we are continuing to study the issues of municipal mergers.
From April 2007, I participated in the "Shimpo wide area coalition" which was formed in cooperation with 16 Shimizu area municipalities. We are promoting wide-area administration by wide-area coalition method.
1. Progress of examination of merger issue (under the former merger special law)
The process of information sharing and review
| September - October Heisei 13 | Embankment discussion to consider future administration system (held multiple times) |
|---|---|
| 平成13年12月 | Kyogoku / Kutchan / Niseko Merger Study Group Establishment Committee established within the Agency |
| Heisei April 2002 | Study group prepared interim report (current situation and problem analysis) |
| July 2002 | Establishment of administrative organization review committee (19 people by public offering and nomination) |
| July - August Heisei 14 | Townspeople briefing session (organized by district) |
| October - November 2002 | Making examination documents concerning municipal mergers All-town distribution townspeople briefing session (town planning roundtable held by district) |
| Heisei era14 year11 month ~ next year January | Implementation of townspeople questionnaire by study group (conducted in 3 towns) |
| Heisei era April, 2003 | Study group prepared final report |
| September 2003 | Kutchan-cho /Niseko Town merger council established (initial establishment in two towns) |
| Heisei era October - December 2003 | Maichi-cho, Makkari village, Kikobetsucho participate in the council (ultimately 5 municipalities) See below |
| April 2004 | Questionnaire survey of townspeople by council (Unified questionnaire in 5 municipalities) Merger forum held |
| July - August Heisei 16 | Townspeaker briefing session on merger issue (held by district) |
| September 2004 | Implementation of questionnaire town residents (Results listed below) |
| October 2004 | Citizen briefing session of the questionnaire result |
| December 2004 | Abolition of the council, dissolution (resolution by a parliament of 5 municipalities) |
Organization of merger council (established at the time / honorific title omitted)
| Chairman | Hiroshi Itoh (mayor of Kutchan) |
|---|---|
| Vice-president | Seiji Osaka (Niseko Town length), Tomeo Taniuchi Miya (Rankoshi town mayor) Susumi Tsutsui (Mayor of Makkari), Masaaki Tsuya (mayor of Kigoroshi) |
| Secretary | Representative Auditor of Niseko Town and Rankoshi Town |
| A member | Chief of the concerned municipalities, chairman, vice chairman, six assembly members and seven academic experts each (16 people x 5 towns and villages = 80 people) Two persons to be determined by the chief of concerned in consultation |
| Total number | 82 people |
| Office location | Niseko Town people Center 2nd Floor |
| Secretariat system | 2 from each municipality, 1 temporary staff dispatching in Hokkaido, 1 temporary staff totaling 12 |
| Burden of expenses | Basically it is a uniform burden of constitutional municipalities (actual expenses paid according to the number of printed matter such as from the council etc) |
2. Results of town population questionnaire survey on merger
Implementation date: September 2004
Implemented by:Niseko Town
Target number: 4,015 people
Number of respondents: 1,986 (recovery rate 49.46%)
Implemented by:Niseko Town
Target number: 4,015 people
Number of respondents: 1,986 (recovery rate 49.46%)
<Results of the merger>
It is better not to merge: 55.7%
It is better to merge: 22.3%
I do not know, others: 22.0%
It is better not to merge: 55.7%
It is better to merge: 22.3%
I do not know, others: 22.0%
Questionnaire question
Question 1: Please tell me your gender.
Question 2: Please tell me your age.
Q 3: Please tell me about your occupation.
Question 4: Please tell us about the merge or not.
Question 6: If you have opinions, comments, suggestions, etc. about municipal mergers, please feel free to write.
Question 2: Please tell me your age.
Q 3: Please tell me about your occupation.
Question 4: Please tell us about the merge or not.
- It is better to merge.
- It is better not to merge.
- do not know
Question 6: If you have opinions, comments, suggestions, etc. about municipal mergers, please feel free to write.
3. Town organization for intention formation
Examination organization by townspeople "Niseko Town Administrative System Study Committee" (established on July 26, 2002)
It consists of nominating committee members and public recruiting committee from volunteers active in various organizations in the town. (Organization of 19 persons)
The town regularly explains and discusses freely around the merger issue. It is set up according to the outline, but it is an organization for listening to free opinions, not as an advisory body.
We held a total of 10 times by November 2004 and exchanged opinions.
The town regularly explains and discusses freely around the merger issue. It is set up according to the outline, but it is an organization for listening to free opinions, not as an advisory body.
We held a total of 10 times by November 2004 and exchanged opinions.
Examination organization by the office staff "Municipal merger agency review committee" (established September 16, 2001)
We organized by all managerial staff (including general manager office manager and finance chief) and we are discussing merger issues freely from the standpoint of "town planning specialist staff".
Mainly, the role of the merger, investigation and examination on administrative and financial affairs, public relations, etc. are the main roles, and discussion was advanced in parallel with the administrative organization review committee.
Mainly, the role of the merger, investigation and examination on administrative and financial affairs, public relations, etc. are the main roles, and discussion was advanced in parallel with the administrative organization review committee.
4. Trends in Promotion of Merger (Under the Merger New Act)
Hokkaido Municipal Municipal Merger Promotion Initiative Hokkaido summarized the "Hokkaido Municipal Municipal Merger Promotion Initiative" (July 2006) based on the so-called merger new law (until March 2010) and shows concrete merger combinations of Hokkaido municipalities .
According to this, Niseko Town is listed as a group of "Shoshi A" (total population: 46,653) together with nine towns and villages in the Shishi area.
According to this, Niseko Town is listed as a group of "Shoshi A" (total population: 46,653) together with nine towns and villages in the Shishi area.
Machi village chief committee on municipal merger (Foot of Yotei / Minami Shimoshi area)
A roundtable meeting is held between 10 municipal village chiefs of the combination indicated by the merger promotion initiative (Shinki A block) and Shimo Branch Office head.
First time
When: September 7, 2006
Location: Shimoji branch office
Contents: The merger within the merger new law deadline is difficult, the range is too wide and districts far from the center are sad
When: September 7, 2006
Location: Shimoji branch office
Contents: The merger within the merger new law deadline is difficult, the range is too wide and districts far from the center are sad
The second time
When: November 21, 2006
Location: Shimoji branch office
Contents: Opinions such as examination of wide area coalition in parallel with the problem of merger, necessity of verification concerning merger under the old law
In the future, discussions will be held after grouping municipalities that intend to merge
When: November 21, 2006
Location: Shimoji branch office
Contents: Opinions such as examination of wide area coalition in parallel with the problem of merger, necessity of verification concerning merger under the old law
In the future, discussions will be held after grouping municipalities that intend to merge
Third time
When: May 10, 2007
Location: Shimo Agricultural Improvement Diffusion Center
Contents: Discussion on
When: May 10, 2007
Location: Shimo Agricultural Improvement Diffusion Center
Contents: Discussion on
- Three municipalities in Makkari village, Kimori district town, Rusutsu village will consider the merger within the deadline of merger new law (until 2010).
- Other towns and villages will promote the Shimpo wide area coalition first, and strive to improve and strengthen administrative services.
Examination of how the basic municipality is based on the country
Discussions are being conducted at the national agencies concerning the basic municipality (municipalities) after the merger new law deadline (after April 2010). Especially about functions, authority, etc. are expected to be considered for "small-scale municipality" (used by the country and researcher as a word pointing to municipalities with small population size).
Regarding this issue, we are also discussing at the 107th urban development townspeople lecture "Merger problem lecture meeting" (held on February 25, 2008). (The outline of the lecture is posted in "Public information Niseko" April 2008 issue: Feature 2 "Thinking about the future image of a small town." Invited merger personnel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is discussing it.
In the future, it is necessary to consider the idea of a small municipality including Niseko.
In the future, it is necessary to consider the idea of a small municipality including Niseko.
5. Examination of wide area administration - Wide area cooperation by wide area coalition mechanism
Merger Following the completion of the merger consultation under the old law, since 2005, we are considering the possibility of wide area administration in town.
From April 2006, Shimoshi area 19 municipalities collaborated to launch "Shimpo wide area coalition preparatory committee", and from April 2007, "Shimpo wide area coalition" by 16 municipalities has been established.
From April 2006, Shimoshi area 19 municipalities collaborated to launch "Shimpo wide area coalition preparatory committee", and from April 2007, "Shimpo wide area coalition" by 16 municipalities has been established.
- Wide area administration (wide area autonomy)
The course of review
| June, 2005 | Recommendation "Examination of new wide administrative system" ・ Proposal by Niseko Town staff |
|---|---|
| August 2005 | Municipal Governor's Assembly Meeting · Confirm that "Shinji area's" Grand Design "(Note 1) mainly focuses on wide area cooperation · Concerning the method of wide-area cooperation Confirmation to proceed with consideration at town / village staff's review meeting |
| November 2005 | Board of Governors' Meeting Committee on Doshu system · Results of consideration of wide area cooperation by town and village officials (Based on wide area coalition, wide area affairs can be done in 13 items) |
| November 2005 | Municipal Governor's Assembly Meeting · Determine "GRAND DESIGN" in Shimoshi area based on the above examination result |
| December 2005 | Board of Directors Board of Shimoji Machimura · Start negotiations to establish a wide area coalition based on "Shimoji area" Grand Design " |
| December 2005 | Board of Directors Board of Shionoshimachi · Submit "Shimoji area" Grand Design "to Hokkaido Governor |
| January 2006 | Municipal Governor's Assembly Meeting · General meeting of the preparation committee of wide area coalition. Establishment preparation room established |
| April 2006 | Inauguration of Shimoji wide area coalition preparatory committee Secretariat (consisting of five temporary staff from municipal offices) was established within the Government Office of Shinki branch office |
| May 2006 | With regard to 13 wide-area administrative consideration items, we set up 9 special subcommittee and started examination |
| July 2006 | Report on the examination status of each expert group to the executive committee as "interim report" |
| August 2006 | Confirm contents of interim report at committee |
| Confirm that wide area coalition will be established centering on 4 items (Note 2) | |
| September 2006 | An administrative report on the status of examination at each municipal assembly |
| October 2006 | Consideration of coalition agreement, organization, expenses burden etc. at the board meeting and committee |
| December 2006 | An administrative report on the status of examination at each municipal assembly Each municipal assembly voted to establish a regional union with 19 municipalities (Niseko Town: Dec. 21) |
| February 2007 | Yusuke Town, Iwanai Town, Yoichi Town Announced Not Participating in Wide Area Union for Expense Burden etc. Confirm Wide Area Alliance in 16 Municipalities Excluding the 3 Towns |
| March 2007 | An administrative report on the status of examination at each municipal assembly Each municipal assembly decides to establish a wide-area coalition by 16 municipalities (Niseko Town: passed on March 14) |
| April 2007 | Application for permission to establish wide area coalition to governor of Hokkaido (April 2) Permission to establish wide area coal from Governor of Hokkaido Establishment / establishment ceremony of Shimizu wide area coalition (April 24) |
Note 1: Grand Design
Hokkaido Municipal Association has summarized the future direction of Hokkaido Municipalities as "Grand Design of Municipality in Regional Sovereign Society" (December 16, 2005). Regarding mergers, wide-area cooperation, and independence, the review results are organized for each local town and village association.
Note 2: 4 items
Claims of tax late payment, national health insurance, nursing-care insurance, geriatric health care
Hokkaido Municipal Association has summarized the future direction of Hokkaido Municipalities as "Grand Design of Municipality in Regional Sovereign Society" (December 16, 2005). Regarding mergers, wide-area cooperation, and independence, the review results are organized for each local town and village association.
Note 2: 4 items
Claims of tax late payment, national health insurance, nursing-care insurance, geriatric health care
Study organization organized by Shimoji wide area coalition preparatory committee (until April 2007)
- Committee: composed of mayor of towns and villages ... Secretariat (composed of dispatched staff from towns and villages: established in Shimoshi joint government building (Kutchan Town))
- Board of Directors: composed of Deputy Mayor (then Assistant)
- Specialized group: composed of section managers in charge of towns and villages (establishing 9 subcommittees)
Content of consideration (administrative affairs to consider handling in Shimoji wide area coalition [initial arrangement])
● Mark: Priority consideration item
| Clerical work (13) | Main study contents | Specialized committee (9) |
| ● Collection of taxes | Delinquency adjustment work (including national health insurance tax) | Tax expert group |
| ● National Health Insurance Administration | General administration (insured person qualification, insurance fee levy collection, benefits, medical fee payment etc) | National Health and Gerontological Subcommittee |
| ● Health care clerk for the elderly | General clerical work (entitlement to payment, payment of medical expenses etc) | National Health and Gerontological Subcommittee |
| ● Long-term care insurance affairs | General clerical work (insured person qualification, insurance fee levy collection, nursing care certification, benefits, community support project etc) | Long-term care insurance special group |
| Collection and processing waste of waste | Some current administrative unions, direction management of wide area processing | Environmental Sanitation Subcommittee |
| Purification of human waste | Some current administrative unions, direction management of wide area processing | Environmental Sanitation Subcommittee |
| Installation and administration work of the crematorium | Cemetery permission, crematories wide area use | Environmental Sanitation Subcommittee |
| ● Fire and Emergency Services | Integration consolidation of some existing office workers associations (three associations) | Fire Fighting Subcommittee |
| School lunch center affairs | Facility installation and operation | School lunch specialist group |
| Board of Education Affairs | School education affairs, faculty staff training | Board of Education Committee |
| Agricultural Commission Affairs | General Affairs | Agricultural Committee Task Force |
| Affairs committee affairs | Arranging the direction of some office workers currently in operation | General Affairs Division |
| Administrative affairs transferred from Hokkaido | Transfer work to be handled in wide area coalition | General Affairs Division |
6. Shimoji wide area coalition - founded on April 24, 2007
| April 2007 | Establishment / establishment ceremony of Shimizu wide area coalition (April 24) Election of wide area coalition chief (elected from mayor of village) · Mr. Miya Tanaka elected Mayor of Ranxiu (April 24) Initiation of coalition affairs |
|---|---|
| May 2007 | Election of Members of Regional Union Parliament (Elections at each town and village parliament: 1 each) Election of the 1st extraordinary meeting of the Association Congress (May 31 - June 8) · FY 2007 budget, related regulations etc. Election of Wide Area Union Parliamentary Chairperson (elected from members of the Union Assembly) · Kobayashi Kyowa Town Assembly election elected (May 31st) |
| June 2007 | Started office work on tax delinquency adjustment |
| January 2008 | Election of Wide Area Union Parliamentary Chairperson (elected from members of the Union Assembly) · Sugawara Kuramatsuuchi Town Council member elected (January 30) |
| February 2008 | Union Congress 1st Regular Meeting (February 21) · FY 2007 supplementary budget, FY 2008 budget, formulation of wide area plan, Execution policy for FY 2008 |
| April 2008 | Union Congress Second Extraordinary Council (April 30) · Conclusion of outsourcing agreement for computer system construction business, supplementary budget for FY2008 Computer system construction work related to national health insurance and long-term care insurance affairs (~ December 25) |
Mechanism of the Shimoshi area coalition (16 towns and villages), secretariat
- Constitution municipality (composed of 16 municipalities in Shimizu area)
- Population in the region: 65,683 people
- Regional area: 3,755 square kilometers
- Organization wide area association chief (One from the mayor of the town: Michinaka within the Miya valley) - Union council (16: one from each town / village parliamentarian)
- Secondary area association chief (full-time)
- Secretary General - Accounting Manager
- General Affairs Section · Tax Division · National Health Insurance Section · Nursing Care Insurance Section
Number of staff
- Heisei FY 2007: 10 people (8 municipal temporary staff, 1 staff dispatched staff, 1 temporary staff)
- Scheduled since FY2008: 37 people (23 municipal temporary staff, 1 staff dispatched staff, 13 temporary staff)
Office: Established in Shimoshi Joint Government Building (Kutchan Town)
電話番号：0136-55-8010(総務課)
Administrative work handled by Shimoji wide area coalition The do-it-yourself window service is done in each town or village as before.
電話番号：0136-55-8010(総務課)
Administrative work handled by Shimoji wide area coalition The do-it-yourself window service is done in each town or village as before.
Affairs handled by Shimizu wide area coalition
| Clerical work | Description of office work | Start time |
| Tax collection office work | Delinquency adjustment work (Municipal Tax, National Health Insurance Tax, Personal Incident Tax) | June 2007 |
| Affairs committee affairs | Business handling in Shimane pipe (Conditions of employee's work etc) 【Indirect administrative affairs】 | June 2007 |
| National Health Insurance Administration | Insurance qualification management, benefit screening payment, reception inspection etc. | Scheduled for April 2009 (preparation work in 19 ~ 20 years) |
| Long-term care insurance affairs | Qualification management of insured persons, payment examination payment etc. | Scheduled for April 2009 (preparation work in 19 ~ 20 years) |
| Research and research work | Dispatch of authority from Hokkaido, fire office work Work on human waste treatment, crematories office work, School lunch center affairs, education board affairs affairs, other office work | － |
Operating expenses of Shimoji wide area coalition
(FY 2007) Unit: Thousand yen
| Common expenses | Tax collection office work | National Health Insurance Administration | Long-term care insurance affairs | Total | |
| Wide area coalition | 35,314 | 19,418 | 12,182 | 12,182 | 79,096 |
| Niseko Town Burden | 2,510 | 884 | 864 | 787 | 5,045 |
Note 1: Estimated amount of accounts.
Note 2: Includes expenses of 1,705 thousand yen for introducing the National Health Insurance and Long-Term Care Systems System as a common expenses.
Note 3: Includes system introduction expenses of 972 thousand yen in delinquent administrative expenses.
Note 2: Includes expenses of 1,705 thousand yen for introducing the National Health Insurance and Long-Term Care Systems System as a common expenses.
Note 3: Includes system introduction expenses of 972 thousand yen in delinquent administrative expenses.
(FY2008) Unit: Thousand yen
| Common expenses | Tax collection office work | National Health Insurance Administration | Long-term care insurance affairs | Total | |
| Wide area coalition | 41,531 | 19,336 | 73,881 | 85,076 | 219,824 |
| Niseko Town Burden | 2,963 | 765 | 5,280 | 5,911 | 14,919 |
Note 1: After correction in April 2008.
Note 2: The expenses for establishing the computer system are posted as expenses for national health insurance and nursing care.
Union as a whole: National Health Insurance 59,400 thousand yen, nursing care 61,140 thousand yen, total 120,540 thousand yen
Niseko Town: National Health Insurance ¥ 4,238 thousand, Nursing care ¥ 4,362 thousand, total ¥ 8,600 thousand
Note 3: An additional adjustment fee income is expected for National Computer's computer system construction cost.
Alliance: 29,692 thousand yen Niseko Town: 2,118 thousand yen
Note 4: Because one staff member is dispatched from Honmachi, we expect an additional income of 7,415 thousand yen for personnel expenses.
Note 2: The expenses for establishing the computer system are posted as expenses for national health insurance and nursing care.
Union as a whole: National Health Insurance 59,400 thousand yen, nursing care 61,140 thousand yen, total 120,540 thousand yen
Niseko Town: National Health Insurance ¥ 4,238 thousand, Nursing care ¥ 4,362 thousand, total ¥ 8,600 thousand
Note 3: An additional adjustment fee income is expected for National Computer's computer system construction cost.
Alliance: 29,692 thousand yen Niseko Town: 2,118 thousand yen
Note 4: Because one staff member is dispatched from Honmachi, we expect an additional income of 7,415 thousand yen for personnel expenses.
Regulations and examples of the Shimoji wide area coalition (ordinance etc.)
By the Local Autonomy Law (Article 284, Paragraph 3), it is necessary to establish a contract for the establishment of wide area coalition. For other examples, it is installed in the Coalition Secretariat or each town / village.
For the terms of the Shimoji wide area coalition, please see the following.
For the terms of the Shimoji wide area coalition, please see the following.
- Shimoji wide area coalition agreement(PDF format: 119KB)
Wide Zone wide area coalition wide area plan
Based on the Local Autonomy Law (Article 291-7 Paragraph 1), it is necessary to establish a business plan (wide area plan) of the wide area coalition.
Plan decision date: February 21, 2008 (Wide Area Union Council vote)
For details of the plan, please see the following.
Plan decision date: February 21, 2008 (Wide Area Union Council vote)
For details of the plan, please see the following.
- ShimSi wide area coalition wide area plan(PDF format: 821 KB)
7. Information sharing and recommendations on wide area administration
Information sharing
Public information published in Niseko
- February 2006 issue "What is the wide area administration?"(PDF format: 106 KB)
- June 2006 issue "How is Niseko Town working on wide-area administration?"(PDF format: 145 KB)
- August 2006 issue "Wide-area administrative review"(PDF format: 132 KB)
- December 2006 issue "The detailed examination of wide area administration is proceeding"(PDF format: 91KB)
- March 2007 issue "The office work of the wide area coalition will be postponed from June"(PDF format: 115KB)
- June 2007 issue "Shimizu wide area coalition established"(PDF format: 155 KB)
- Explanation at the 101st town planning townspeople lecture "All right? The future of Niseko" (held on August 21, 2006).
- I explained the situation and got talks at the "Machizukuri Roundtable Meeting".
- Please see the following page for details about town planning town circle lecture, town planning roundtable meeting.
Recommendation material · Link
This is a proposal from the Niseko Town Staff Project regarding the state of regional administration. For details, please contact the Planning Division, Corporate Planning Section.
8. Branch Office Reform
In November 2007, Hokkaido proposed a plan to reorganize the current 14 Branch Offices into nine Promotion Bureau "Hills of the new branch office (original plan)" (Hokkaido homepage) as a special committee for the Promotion of Promotion of Decentralization Reform etc. I showed it to the meeting.
Regarding the metropolitan area, it is content to be divided into 3, Honpo Integrated Promotion Bureau, Shosi General Promotion Bureau, and Nichibu General Promotion Bureau. Regarding the current posthumous branch office (location: Kutchan cho), it was indicated that it will be established as Shinki Integrated Promotion Bureau.
In June 2008, Hokkaido shows "the form of a new branch office (revision proposal)" (Hokkaido homepage).
Regarding the metropolitan area, it is content to be divided into 3, Honpo Integrated Promotion Bureau, Shosi General Promotion Bureau, and Nichibu General Promotion Bureau. Regarding the current posthumous branch office (location: Kutchan cho), it was indicated that it will be established as Shinki Integrated Promotion Bureau.
In June 2008, Hokkaido shows "the form of a new branch office (revision proposal)" (Hokkaido homepage).
- Flyer for the realization of "Shimpo Integrated Promotion Bureau"(PDF format: 974 KB)
Inquiries regarding information on this page
- Planning & Environment Division Public Relations Hearing Association
- TEL:0136-44-2121
- FAX:0136-44-3500