økonomiplan

Økonomiplan is a formal multi-year financial planning document used by municipal authorities in countries such as Norway and Denmark. It provides a forward-looking framework for projected revenues, expenditures, investments, and fiscal policy over a multi-year horizon, typically three to four years. The plan serves as the backbone for the annual budget and the capital programme, helping to align service levels with available resources and long-term financial sustainability.

A typical ekonomiplan includes: projected revenues from taxes, state or regional grants, and fees; operating expenditures by sector (for example education, care services, public safety, culture); planned capital investments (infrastructure, housing, IT); a debt and financing plan detailing borrowing and interest costs; and performance indicators and risk assessments. It is designed to translate political priorities into financial terms and to provide a transparent basis for decision-making by elected representatives and the public.

The process usually involves the municipal administration preparing a draft plan, followed by consideration and adoption by the council or equivalent legislative body. Public consultation and revisions are common. The ekonomiplan is often updated annually or revised mid-cycle to reflect changed circumstances, while the annual budget provides the binding yearly appropriation.

In practice, the ekonomiplan is integrated with strategic plans and master plans, and it may be linked to longer-term planning horizons beyond the immediate four-year span.