Social services hire staff as electricity costs rise

Social services in Alvesta are recruiting staff to cope with a sharp increase in child protection cases. The courts in Växjö have moved to new premises, and electricity prices in southern Sweden could become 73 percent more expensive this winter.

Social services in Alvesta recruits staff from outside

Social services in Alvesta municipality has high staff turnover and a 100 percent increase in cases involving children. The municipality is therefore now recruiting staff from outside to resolve the situation. Social services is the municipality's operation for social support.

– It is still very demanding, says the chair of the social services committee (S). Smålandsposten

Electricity prices in southern Sweden may become 73 percent more expensive

The spot price in electricity area 4 reached almost 9,40 kronor per kilowatt-hour including VAT at its highest on Monday. According to Eon's latest winter forecast, a homeowner with annual consumption of 20,000 kilowatt-hours may face an electricity trading cost of around 29,800 kronor from October to March – 73 percent more than last winter, and around 20 percent higher than during the crisis winter of 2022/2023.

Behind the high prices are weak wind power production, limited availability of nuclear power, bottlenecks in electricity transmission and high gas prices in Europe. Eon's electricity price expert says that such an increase in costs causes concern, but that the forecast is not a certain outcome. SVT Nyheter Småland

The courts in Växjö have moved to new premises

On Monday, Växjö District Court, the County Administrative Board’s Environmental and Land-Use Court and the Administrative Court moved to new premises on Bäckaslövsesplanaden. Previously, they were located at Kungsgatan 8 for almost 50 years; in 1977, Växjö District Court moved into the same address as the County Administrative Board. The District Court is the general court that hears criminal cases and disputes.

The new building has a floor area of about 10,500 square metres, space for about 200 workplaces and 16 hearing rooms, including 3 security rooms. Security will be significantly improved for both staff and visitors, according to the chief judge. Skanska built the building and sold it to the property company Vacse for 490 million kronor back in 2024, and the National Courts Administration will rent the premises. SVT Nyheter Småland

Alvesta municipal councillors keep their allowances until the end of the year

Two municipal councillors in Alvesta, one from S and one from C, have resigned their positions but are allowed to keep their allowances until the end of the year. They left their posts on 1 November after having been active politicians in Alvesta for several years. A municipal councillor is a leading politician in a municipality.

– I fully understand that this raises questions, says Claudia Crowley Sörensson (M). Smålandsposten

Farmers in the county discussed crisis preparedness

Disruptions to transport and IT could mean that farmers in the county have to pour out milk and discard eggs. This week, farmers met at the residence together with representatives for grain farms, dairy factories, slaughterhouses, municipalities, the region and the county administrative board to discuss how food supply should become more secure in the event of war or another crisis. The region is the regional authority responsible for, among other things, healthcare, and the county administrative board is a government authority at county level.

– People tend to say that our self-sufficiency is at 50 percent, but that is on the condition that we have the important input products, otherwise we are badly off, says the chair of LRF Sydost. LRF is the farmers' organisation. Smålandsposten

Kosta SK lost to Eslöv in Pingisligan

On Tuesday, Kosta SK and Eslöv AI met in Pingisligan, table tennis’ top league, at Craft Arena. Kosta lost 1–5. Eslöv is described as Kosta’s No. 1 bogey team at home – the last time Kosta lost at home was on 21 October last year, when, as a newcomer to Pingisligan, they faced Eslöv and lost 3–5.

– The margins are very small, says Kosta’s team manager. Smålandsposten Smålandsposten

In brief

• Greenpeace demonstrated in Älmhult during Ikea’s public meeting and claims that Ikea uses timber from protected forests, while Ikea says the maps are not up to date. SVT Nyheter Småland
• The photo exhibition ”Dömas, Gömmas och Glömmas” about men’s violence against women is on display at Alvesta railway station until Saturday 21 November. SVT Nyheter Småland
• Region Kronoberg is getting a new security chief, who is coming most recently from the Swedish Police Authority. Smålandsposten
• The company Study Flow Sverige AB has been established in Växjö. Smålandsposten
• The property at Gårdsvägen 10 in Vislanda has a new owner. Smålandsposten
• A boy under 15 has been detained on suspicion of attempted murder or alternatively aggravated assault in Växjö, and a close relative of the boy was taken to hospital by ambulance. SVT Nyheter Småland