Support, Lex Maria and Road Hazard Warning

October support is delayed and will be paid out together for the entire October–December period. Hallands sjukhus in Halmstad has reported a death under lex Maria, and Trafikverket is warning of slippery conditions on cold nights. Region Halland has presented its first budget with the new political leadership.

Electricity support for October is delayed – paid out later

The electricity price cap has been activated for the period from October to December, energy minister Ebba Busch (KD) and finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) announced at a press conference. Support is paid for the portion of the electricity price that exceeds an average of 1.50 kronor per kilowatt-hour over a month.

For October, the average electricity price came to 157 öre per kilowatt-hour, meaning that the support for October will amount to just a few öre above the threshold. A typical detached-family household in electricity area 4 can expect around 100 kr in support for the month. To avoid the administration costing more than the payout itself, the outgoing government has decided to wait and combine the payment for the entire October–December period. After just 3 days in November, the average electricity price is close to 3 kronor per kilowatt-hour. Finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson confirmed that the current support expires on 31 December and that the budget for 2027 does not include any extended protection. Laholms Tidning

Hallands sjukhus reports a death according to lex Maria

A patient with heart and kidney disease died unexpectedly of a heart attack at Hallands sjukhus in Halmstad. The patient arrived at the hospital with chest pain, which was assessed to be related to problems with the heart valves, developed sepsis during the course of care and was treated with antibiotics. The patient died during the night on the ward.

An event analysis shows that the regular monitoring of the patient did not take place due to a communication failure. "It cannot be ruled out that more frequent monitoring could have enabled earlier detection that the patient was showing signs of deterioration," says chief physician Ola Blomqvist in a press release. The incident is now being reported to Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, IVO, according to lex Maria. IVO is the government agency that scrutinises healthcare and social care, and lex Maria is the rules for reporting serious incidents in healthcare. SVT Nyheter Halland

Trafikverket warns of black ice this week

The nights in Laholm and Markaryd will bring temperatures around zero and occasional above-freezing readings this week. When the mercury hovers around the zero mark during the late evening hours and early morning, the risk of so-called black ice increases markedly. It is practically invisible to the naked eye. Road users travelling over bridges, viaducts, near bodies of water or along shaded forest roads in the border area between Halland and Småland should be especially vigilant.

“There is always a risk of slippery conditions when the temperature hovers around zero, and road users should be aware of that. In such situations, we urge everyone to reduce their speed and keep a proper distance from the vehicle ahead,” says Torbjörn Axelsson, head of road maintenance at Trafikverket Southern Region. Trafikverket is the government agency responsible for roads and railways, and since 1 October, the agency has activated its full winter preparedness. According to SMHI, Sweden’s meteorological and hydrological institute, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the days this week with the lowest temperatures and thus the highest risk of slippery conditions. Laholms Tidning

Artificial turf plans in Kungsbacka rejected

Kungsbacka’s artificial turf plans have been rejected following concerns that plastic particles could end up in watercourses. “It may be carcinogenic,” says Said Racic, head of the Environment and Health unit in Kungsbacka municipality. The Culture and Leisure Committee is requiring remedial measures, and the work must be completed by 31 March 2027, in time for the spring season’s premiere, which the committee in turn has said it cannot afford.

“Of course we take the criticism on board, but there are filters that stop it from draining outside the pitch,” says Annika Hedman (C), chair of the Culture and Leisure Committee. A municipality is the local public organisation responsible for things such as schools, eldercare and leisure activities. As early as 2022, the Environment and Health Protection Committee received complaints from private individuals and sport anglers that rubber granules from the pitches were ending up in nearby watercourses. SVT Nyheter Halland

500 kronor more in wellness benefits for Region Halland employees

All employees in Region Halland will receive 500 kronor more in wellness benefits. This is one of the changes made by the new political governing body of Region Halland when it presents its first budget. “We have doubled the wellness benefit since 2019,” says Mikaela Waltersson (M).

Following the election, a partly new political governing body in Region Halland will decide on matters including healthcare in the county and public transport. A region is the public organisation responsible for healthcare and public transport in the county. On Monday, the coalition of M, KD, L and SD presented its first joint budget. Of this, 22 million kronor goes to primary care and 8 million kronor to the planned mental health centre for young people in Falkenberg. SVT Nyheter Halland

The MittLagan project has reached the Land and Environment Court

One of southern Sweden's largest infrastructure projects since the 1960s has now reached the courtroom. The case is extremely extensive and involves several authorities and over 100 interested parties. Already at the opening hearing at Hotell Plaza in Halmstad, administrative court judge Titti Heina noted that the 4 days of hearings, of which 2 for on-site inspections in Knäred, will not be enough. Statkraft wants to replace the 3 existing power stations with a new underground power plant at Bassalt and demolish the dams at Bassalt, Knäred övre and Knäred nedre. The new power plant will have 45 percent higher output and increase annual production from 105 to just over 112 GWh, according to project manager Monica Engman, who says the project is primarily about dam safety.

The lawyer Jan-Olof Sundby spent 25 minutes reading out the company's claims and proposed conditions, and of the 49 points, 14 were entirely new. "It is remarkable! Yet another reason not to approve the application," says Anders Tullander of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. The Land and Environment Court is the court that hears cases concerning land, environment and water. Laholms Tidning

In brief

• Halmstad Energi och Miljö, Hem, has received 4.7 million kronor in government support to investigate the collection and storage of carbon dioxide, known as CCS, at the district heating plant in Kristinehed – the initiative could cost 2 billion kronor if it becomes reality. SVT Nyheter Halland
• The home services company Jelia Care in Halmstad is to pay a fine to the municipality for breach of contract and workplace deficiencies, but the company disputes the fine, which could become a case for the district court – the general court of first instance. SVT Nyheter Halland
• The Education and Culture Committee in Markaryd has decided that Strömsnässkolan will become a profile school in collaboration with the football club Malmö FF, with the hope that the collaboration will begin as early as 2027. Laholms Tidning
• A man aged 45 is suspected of gross drunk driving after being stopped by police on the E6 near Snapparp with his 7-year-old son in the car. During testing, 0.56 milligrams of alcohol per litre of exhaled air were measured, equivalent to approximately 1.2 per mille. Laholms Tidning