Municipal Board December 15, 2025
15. joulukuuta 2025 15:06
New Prison for Pirkanmaa Region in Lempäälä
By decision of the Ministry of Justice, a new closed prison with approximately 100 places will be built in Lempäälä, which can be expanded to 400 places. The municipality reserves 39 hectares in the Hulikankkulma area for the project. The building complex will span 35,000-45,000 square meters. The project will employ approximately 100 people in the initial phase and 400 people at full capacity. The target for first phase commissioning is 2032.
Swimming Hall Receives Principal Payment Holiday on Loans
Kiinteistö Oy Lempäälän Uimahalli receives a favorable decision to apply for a two-year principal payment holiday on Kuntarahoitus investment loans for 2026-2027. The company's financial situation requires stabilization, and the principal payment holiday is considered the primary option.
Electric Scooters Under Regulation
Lempäälä will introduce micromobility permits starting January 1, 2026. The new rules apply to electric scooters and set limits on operating areas, speeds, and parking. The permit conditions have been prepared in regional cooperation to ensure a uniform operating environment.
Soil Mass Recycling Project Returned to Preparation
The municipal board overturned its previous decision to establish a circular economy area for soil masses in Tuljamo due to an appeal filed by a neighboring riding stable. The matter was returned to preparation for more detailed investigation of environmental impacts and mapping of alternative locations.
Municipal Strategy Implementation Begins
The municipal board appointed members of parliamentary steering groups to prepare four action programs for the municipal strategy: economic vitality program, well-being program, responsible leadership program, and village program. The programs will be decided by the council during spring 2026.
Agenda
The municipal board appointed steering groups for four action programs that implement the recently approved municipal strategy "Lempäälä close to you". The programs focus on business life, well-being, responsible leadership, and village development. Each steering group has seven elected officials as well as representatives from stakeholder groups, and they will prepare concrete action plans for the council term. Citizens and various communities will be able to influence the content of the programs through surveys and other participation during spring 2026.
The municipal board referred the councillors' initiative to reduce ultra-processed food in daycare centers and schools to the education and teaching service area for preparation. The initiative was submitted by councillor Jani Saikkonen on behalf of the Finns Party council group and is supported by 28 councillors or deputy councillors. The matter now proceeds to preparers who will investigate how the use of industrially manufactured food products could be reduced in food services. The decision was made unanimously.
Kokouksen laillisuus ja päätösvaltaisuus
The Municipal Manager presented current affairs to the municipal board, which were noted for information. The meeting included a preliminary discussion on the Marjamäki general plan, where the future development of the area was considered. Additionally, the municipal board's self-evaluation, the municipality's financial situation, and sister city activities were addressed. Several experts from different fields were present at the meeting to provide background information for decision-making.
The municipal board granted permission for Kiinteistö Oy Lempäälän Uimahalli to apply for an amortization holiday for two investment loans for the years 2026-2027. With the amortization holiday, the company aims to stabilize its financial situation by postponing loan payments. The municipality has guaranteed the loans in question, but the amortization holiday does not require new council processing, as the guarantee commitments already allow for amortization holidays of up to two years. The next loan amortization is due in March 2026, so there is sufficient time for processing the application.
The municipal board approved the 2026 service plan, which implements the budget previously decided by the municipal council. The plan defines how budget resources are allocated to different areas of responsibility and what the key priorities for the year are. Key objectives include improving customer service, strengthening employee well-being, developing digital services, and promoting climate-smart measures. The decision also grants supervisors the authority to approve invoices and internal items within defined limits.
The Ministry of Justice has decided to build a new Pirkanmaa Prison in Lempäälä, which in its first phase will have approximately 100 places and can later be expanded to 400 places. The prison will be located in the Hulikankulma area near the highway, and its construction will bring significant new employment opportunities to the municipality as well as increase tax revenue. The municipal board approved Senate Properties' planning reservation application and the initiation of zoning for the project. Senate Properties will pay all zoning costs and a reservation fee of 50,000 euros, which will be credited against the purchase price later.
A workplace well-being survey was conducted for the personnel of Lempäälä municipal group in October, with a response rate of 70.1 percent of employees and an average result of 3.9. Based on the survey, the municipality's management team has set goals for better feedback provision to employees and for staff to be able to focus better on their core tasks. Work units will process the results in their own workshops and develop their own improvement objectives, the implementation of which will be monitored regularly. The municipal board acknowledged the results for information and also forwarded them to the committees.
The municipal board supplemented the composition of the economic policy cooperation group for the term 2025-2029 by adding the development director as an expert member. The group serves as an advisory forum in the planning and implementation of local economic policy, and it convenes every 2-3 months. The group consists of six municipal representatives and six business representatives, and the chairmanship alternates between the parties every two years. Adding the development director strengthens the group's expertise in economic affairs.
The municipal board referred an initiative signed by 42 councillors regarding early youth work resources for further preparation to the welfare and vitality service area. The initiative proposes to investigate what kind of resources early youth work with 10-13 year olds would require in Lempäälä. The matter will return to decision-making later when the preparation is complete.
The municipal board processed a rectification request concerning the October decision to establish a circular economy area for soil masses in Tuljamo. The circular economy area would be intended for interim storage and reuse of excavated soil from the municipality's own construction sites, as the municipality currently does not have its own interim storage area or landfill site. The rectification request demands that the project not be initiated at all. No decision has been made on the matter yet.
Lempäälä is introducing a new micromobility permit system, which particularly concerns electric scooter rental services. The municipality has postponed the implementation of the permit until the beginning of 2026, when the first permits will be granted on a trial basis for one year at a time. With the permit, the municipality can regulate where electric scooters may be used, at what speed they may be driven, and where they may be parked. The goal is to improve safety and order on the streets and promote environmentally friendly travel for short distances.
The municipal board provided instructions to the municipality's representative for the Lempäälän Lämpö Oy company meeting, where the company's board will be elected for the entire council term 2025-2029. Seven members are proposed for the board: Ville Tirkkonen, Johanna Kalliomäki, Raine Lakkala, Birgit Backlund-Palander, Pasi Loukiainen, Pirkko Harsia and Topi Koiranen. Lempäälän Lämpö Oy is a company wholly owned by the municipality, which handles the production and distribution of district heating in the area. The decision also includes a recommendation to change the board chairman by the end of 2025.
Pöytäkirjan tarkastajat
The municipal board did not approve Jatke Pirkanmaa Oy's request to amend the reservation agreement for the downtown apartment building plot. The company had wanted to modify the plan so that part of the 2,700 square meter plot would be built for ARA-subsidized housing production instead of the original market-rate housing production. The plot price for ARA production would have been 187 euros per square meter with the central location surcharge. The decision ended in a 7-4 vote, so the reservation agreement remains under the original terms.
The municipal board has determined that the decisions made by the municipal council on November 26 were made in legal order and the council has not exceeded its authority. The decisions will now be implemented and the municipal manager is authorized to issue the necessary orders and instructions for their execution. This is a statutory procedure where the municipal board ensures the legality of council decisions before their implementation.
The municipal board approved changes to the 2025 budget that the municipal council had previously decided. The largest changes are reducing the municipality's income tax revenue by one million euros and increasing the land acquisition appropriation by 600,000 euros. Additionally, the state subsidy for basic services is increased by 110,000 euros and 100,000 euros is invested in the new Lempäälän Kuntakiinteistöt company.
The municipal board noted the community board's minutes from early December and decisions made by officials from 24.11.-11.12.2025. The decision means that the municipal board does not take these matters into further consideration but approves them as they are. This is a standard procedure where council members monitor what decisions the municipality's various sectors have made.
The municipal board approved the meeting agenda and decided to process the matters in the planned order. This is a standard procedure to ensure the smooth progress of the meeting.
The municipal board approved a plan for which plots the municipality will dispose of in 2026 for residential construction. The plan specifies the numbers of single-family house, row house, and apartment building plots in different areas, as well as whether they will be sold or leased. The objective is to improve the predictability of land sales revenue and ensure that the municipality's growth remains manageable within the capacity of services. The plans for 2027-2028 will be refined later on an annual basis.