Petra
Ekberg-Kontula
Kirkkonummi
"For a vibrant and functional center – meeting places and a wide range of services are essential for the well-being of residents!"
Hi! I am running as a candidate in the municipal elections for the second time. Currently, I am a member of the Swedish Committee for Education and a deputy member of the municipal council. Kirkkonummi has been my home municipality for almost 25 years, and I live in Ravals with my family. I hold a Master's degree in Political Science and work as an expert in the pension sector. I am also a qualified social worker.
I still want to work actively to make Kirkkonummi a well-being, environmentally friendly, and innovative municipality. It should be that for all its residents, offering services that do not leave anyone out. I would also like to see us develop the center of Kirkkonummi into a meeting place where we can enjoy a functional range of cultural and business activities.
Important political topics
Municipal and urban vitality
Kirkkonummi, due to its geographical location, has all the conditions to become an increasingly vibrant municipality. Companies have made significant investments and established themselves in the municipality in recent years. This naturally creates new job opportunities. Due to the rather fragmented structure of the municipality with three centers, it is challenging to ensure equal service everywhere. Several small businesses and shops have closed down, which is worrying because the municipality needs small entrepreneurs. Most people choose to shop elsewhere in the metropolitan area because, for example, there are not enough clothing stores or restaurants. If you want something "extra," it is not available in your own municipality. For commuters, this may not be a problem, but as more and more people work remotely, it is not sustainable to have to buy everything either online or at a shopping center in a neighboring municipality.
Thriving citizens
By investing in culture and education for its residents, the municipality also guarantees well-being for everyone on that level. The upcoming high school campus, which will be put into use in 2027, is a major investment in the center and will undoubtedly be a good complement to the Fyyri library. New residential buildings are being built next to the square, and the work has already begun. We now have all the conditions to create a new pleasant environment that brings us closer together. I hope that we can move away from the often quite deserted square environment and introduce new concepts that work.
I have followed the participatory budgeting that the municipality started a few years ago. We have now reached the stage where the winning ideas can be implemented, and I think it will be exciting to follow how they are realized, such as the ideas of a blooming Kirkkonummi and movie nights in August.
If we want the residents to feel good, it also means in practice that we must invest in the municipality's staff, focusing on their endurance and well-being. There are concrete measures that can be used, such as monitoring sick leave by sector, regular staff surveys, and much more. The most important thing is to promote open dialogue between decision-makers, management, and employees.
Sustainable and attractive planning
Population growth has slowed in Kirkkonummi, and the need for new residents has increased. In recent years, we have renewed old and built new schools in the municipality, and major projects are still ongoing. We have all the conditions to attract families with children to the municipality with the vision of being able to offer new, fresh learning environments. At the same time, for example, the level results of Kirkkonummi High School have been remarkably good in the past year. We can offer quality education also for young people from the surrounding municipalities.
Public transport to Espoo or Helsinki no longer works as smoothly as it did before the metro arrived. In my opinion, bus traffic is not smooth enough for commuters; the journeys take too long. The problem should be solved with more direct lines to Matinkylä or Helsinki.
After renewing the schools in our municipality, it is definitely time to tackle other projects and increase the comfort for people of other ages as well. There is concern that middle-aged residents who moved to Kirkkonummi during their children's early years no longer feel attached or loyal to the municipality to the extent that they prefer to move elsewhere to get all services in one place. Therefore, it is important to also consider the aging population and provide them with good services within reach.
Candidate's answers in election machine
1 / 14
In Kirkkonummi, it is important to promote the attractiveness of new residential areas or business establishments, even if it comes at the expense of nature.
2 / 14
The West Rail between Espoo and Salo should be implemented, even if it means that Kirkkonummi must finance part of it.
3 / 14
In Kirkkonummi, it is better to save money by cutting down on the service network for residents rather than reducing municipal staff.
4 / 14
Early childhood education should be free for everyone.
5 / 14
Schools should prioritize traditional textbooks over digital learning materials.
6 / 14
One of the municipality’s most important tasks is to invest in sports facilities and opportunities for exercise and recreation.
7 / 14
It is important to provide all residents with equal opportunities for cultural activities.
8 / 14
The municipality should introduce or improve opportunities for residents to influence how municipal funds are used through participatory budgeting.
9 / 14
The municipality should invest in public transportation.
10 / 14
It should be possible to be a resident in more than one municipality, for example, through digital municipal citizenship.
11 / 14
The municipality should better facilitate the expansion of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.
12 / 14
The municipality should mix more housing types in planning than is currently the case.
13 / 14
The municipality should introduce anonymous recruitment.
14 / 14