Organisation

However, the municipality chooses to organise the tasks, it is important that everyone involved work together closely and that there is no ambigu- ity in who is responsible for what. It is important that the municipality first establish the address, i.e. address parcel, address name, address number

etc., and then register the address in the Cadastre Registry and the address name in the Central Register of Geographical Names. After this, the address must be made visible through signage.

Tasks may be divided and delegated however is most expedient within each municipality. When deciding what is most expedient, one should consider:

• What is the purpose of a good address system? • When and how the need for new addresses arises.

• The relationship between the municipality and the affected parties. • Updating of registers, maps and archives.

Preferably, only one department should have executive authority with responsibility for coordination and operations. This department should be given the opportunity to involve other departments as needed. Collaboration between multiple municipalities on the operative side of address management may also be established.

Hiring private companies for special transition or streamlining projects is also possible. However, there must never be any doubt that the municipality is the formal address authority.

17.3.1. Political tasks

According to the law, the task of establishing addresses belongs to the municipalities. Most management matters are usually delegated. Neither law nor regulations limit delegation. Section 59 of the Cadastre Regula- tions allows the municipalities to define supplementary address allocation regulations. These may also, to some extent specify what should be dele- gated (see introduction to chapter 17.1.).

A big part of address management is to be regulated by the Cadastre Regulations and associated legislation. Choices of address names (and other names in connection with addresses) are not individual resolutions according to the Administration law and in many municipalities; it is com- mon to delegate the determination of these names to a subordinate com- mittee. This may be an executive committee, a primary committee, a culture committee or an urban-/village committee. Some municipalities have a separate naming committee that propose address names and other municipal names to the deciding body. It might be a good idea to delegate the decision authority to a lower tier to ensure quick and efficient pro- gress in these matters.

It is therefore important that the address name be allocated as early as possible in the process. If official address names are missing, other, unof- ficial, names might be adopted, creating problems. No matter who is given the authority to decide names, it is natural that the administration makes the required preparations specified in the Cadastre Law and the Law on Geographical Names as regards spelling. Delegation should be absolute, so that the matter can be decided fully by the body given the authority. At the political level, resolutions should be made on:

• Organisation and clarification of resources

• Development of and resolutions on local regulations • Choice of names in connection with addresses

• Determination of the spelling of names in connection with addresses The remaining address tasks mentioned in chapter 17.1.1 should prefe- rably be delegated to a technical manager at an appropriate level of the

organisation in order to achieve sensible operational management. It is important that the division into address parcel being undertaken in a consistent and professional manner.

17.3.2. Administrative tasks

As shown in chapter 17.1.1 and in chapter 17.7, the administrative tasks of address management are many and varied. It may seem like the tasks would be different depending on whether a complete address system is being established in the municipality for the first time or an existing system is being maintained. However, the various tasks will still be fairly similar. What is different is the size of the tasks and the resources necessary.

An address system should be built up logically based around main roads in the address area (cf. chapter 4). At the next level of detail, the parts of the road system, address parcels, that are to function as "links"

connecting address numbers, are established. Each address parcel should have a name that adheres to a set of requirements for good address names, and be spelled according to the regulations of the Geographical name law (cf. chapter 6). The various address objects, buildings, entran- ces and access points should be associated with an address parcel in such a way that people will easily find their way. Signs should be put up to guide

traffic. The addresses should be registered. The Cadastre Law and the Cadastre Registry Regulations specify how resolutions should be made and how the affected should be informed.

It may be expedient to let the unit responsible for the registering into the Cadastre Registry also handles the address work process. Working with the Cadastre Registry is a good source of information, making it possi- ble to predict the municipality's address needs, both in practical "on the

ground" terms and in terms of registering. Other units within the muni-

cipality must however also be involved in the address work process, in particular the planning department, information- or service centres, and the road department.

It is important that the address work process to a sufficient extent is coordinated with the municipality's planning work so that the preliminary address work can begin early. For instance, during the planning phase, information about existing geographical names in the area can be gathe- red, the address parcel pattern can be prepared, the need for new address numbers can be assessed and the address name processes can be prepa- red.

The municipal information- or service centre will be useful for information work. The unit responsible for roads, on the other hand, can be used to put up and maintain signs.

The administration's main responsibility is to make sure addresses are ready at an early stage of a construction process or the development of an area. When multiple units are involved, it is important that delegations and management are clearly and unambiguously defined: "Who does what,

when?" In other words, good routines and close relationships are neces-

sary to ensure good coordination until an address is clearly marked on site.

17.4. Inter-municipal cooperation

The address system is built around the municipality as a unit. Municipal boundaries are in many places not well suited as the boundary of a well- functioning address system. It is therefore important that the municipal management understand the significance of close relationships with

neighbouring municipalities in achieving a good address system for an area, cf. chap. 3. Many address users operate within broader regions and want an address system that is unambiguous as regards address names in the region. Medical emergency communications centres are an example of such a user, as are other emergency departments. When the municipa- lity allocates address names it should at least look at address names in all neighbouring municipalities and avoid using names already in use there. Ideally, however, an even broader area should be looked at, cf. § 58 of the Cadastre Registry Regulations and chapter 3. This may be challenging for the address authority: often the same geographical names are found in several adjoining municipalities. These names may be good candidates for address names. However, which municipality should be "allowed" to use a name if a choice has to be made? On such issues, politicians, landowners and the public will often involve themselves vigorously.

Using the same address name in two adjoining municipalities may still be advisable if a road starts in one municipality and continues into the neigh- bouring municipality. In such an instance, it is not necessary to divide the road into two address parcels. The address parcel can cross the municipal boundary and have the same address name in both municipalities (but different address codes cf. chapter 5). Address numbers should continue consecutively across the municipal boundary, in particular where there are no physical separations or mark (junction, intersection, bridge etc.) at the municipal boundary.

Municipalities that have not come very far with address allocation should consider a joint project with neighbouring municipalities, cf. § 58 of the Cadastre Regulations. Alternatively, a common naming committee could be appointed with representatives from all the municipalities. This naming committee should have the authority to make final decisions in such disputes as mentioned above.