City Council
The City Council is the highest decision-making body in Espoo. Its 75 members are elected through a municipal election every four years.
Council meetings are open to the public. You can follow the meetings at City Council Hall or watch them live online. The meetings are also recorded.
The City Council is in charge of the City of Espoo’s operations and finances. It sets goals for the city and makes the most important decisions. The members elect from among themselves officials to the City Board and committees.
When a matter is being jointly discussed by the City Council, it has undergone a long process through office-holders, committees and the City Board.
Agendas, meeting minutes and decisions(external link) (in Finnish/Swedish)
Chairperson of the City Council
Jarno Limnéll (National Coalition Party)
1st vice-chairperson of the City Council
Inka Hopsu (Greens)
2nd vice-chairperson of the City Council
Markku Sistonen (Social Democratic Party)
3rd vice-chairperson of the City Council
Karin Cederlöf (Swedish People's Party)
Members
- Council members by party (in Finnish)
- Council members in alphabetical order (in Finnish)
- Deputy members (in Finnish)
The City Council has 75 members and an equal number of deputy members. You can find each member through the alphabetical index or the search function on the Finnish website. Please note that we only disclose the contact information of an elected official with their written consent. Due to the website redesign project, the information has not yet been fully updated.
Distribution of seats on 1 August 2021 (a total of 75 seats):
- Social Democratic Party: 10
- Finns Party: 8
- National Coalition Party: 28
- Centre Party: 2
- Green League : 14
- Left Alliance : 2
- Swedish People's Party : 6
- Christian Democrats: 3
- Movement Now : 2
The City Council meets once a month on Mondays at 17.30, unless otherwise stated, at City Council Hall (Valtuustotalo), Espoonkatu 5, 02770 Espoo. The meetings are open for public. You can also watch the meetings live online at www.mediaserver.fi/live/espoo(external link).
Meeting secretary
Jouni Majuri, Town Clerk
P.O. Box 12, 02070 CITY OF ESPOO
Tel. 050 526 2173
jouni.majuri@espoo.fi
An appeal against a City Council decision is made by submitting an appeal against a municipal authority decision.
Meeting schedule of the City Council, the City Board and its subcommittees
Downloadable files
- Download file: Valtuuston poissaolot 1.8.2021-13.6.2022.Valtuuston poissaolot 1.8.2021-13.6.2022File is only available in FinnishFile is only available in Finnish
The City Council’s meetings are open to the public and can be followed at City Council Hall at Espoonkatu 5. You can also watch meetings live or as recordings on our YouTube channel(external link).
The City Council meets once a month, usually on Mondays at 17:30. There is a coffee break between 19:30 and 20:00.
You can follow and comment on the discussion of the meeting topics on Twitter using the hashtag #EspooValtuusto.
The Council Advisory Committee handles topical matters to be decided upon by the City Council and addresses upcoming significant projects. The Council Advisory Committee consists of the chairpersons of City Council groups. The chairpersons of the City Council and Board and the Mayor and leaders of the various sectors attend the meetings. The Council Advisory Committee convenes at 4 pm on the Monday preceding the City Council meeting and at 4 pm on the days on which the City Council meets.
Contact: City Council Secretary Jouni Majuri tel. +358 50 526 2173, firstname.lastname@espoo.fi or valtuustonsihteeri@espoo.fi.
Composition of the Council Advisory Committee
Chairperson
Kajava Henna, Finns Party
Members
Laukkanen Antero, Christian Democrats
af Hällström Nina, Swedish People's Party, vice-chairperson
Hopsu Inka, Green League
Sistonen Markku, Social Democratic Party
Markkula Markku, National Coalition Party
Ahlfors Tiina, Left Alliance
Saramäki Sara, Centre Party
Stenvall Nora, Movement Now
Entitled to attend meetings
Partanen Henna (Green League), Chairperson of the council
Limnéll Jarno (National Coalition Party), 1st 1st Deputy of the Council
Sistonen Markku (SDP), 2nd Deputy of the Council
Grönroos Simo (Finns Party), 3rd Deputy of the Council
Vuornos Henrik (National Coalition Party), Chairperson of the City Board
Elo Tiina (Green League), 1st Deputy of the City Board
Guzenina Maria (SDP), 2nd Deputy of the City Board
Mayor Mäkelä Jukka
acting Director of Social and Health Services Hoffström Minna
Director of Education and Cultural Services Rinta-aho Harri
Director of Technical Services Isotalo Olli
Finance Director Konttas Ari
Communications Director Pajakoski Johanna
acting Director for Administration and Development Kuismin Timo
Council members may submit initiatives to the meeting system during the Council meeting.
If the initiative has no budgetary implications and is signed by 1-13 council members, the City Board will provide a written response to the first signatory of the initiative within six months.
If the initiative has no budgetary implications and is signed by at least 14 council members, the City Board will present the response to the Council as soon as possible, and no later than six months after the initiative is submitted.
Budget initiatives submitted by the end of March will be prepared in the context of next year's budget. If the budget initiative is presented later, it will be dealt with in the context of the following year's budget.
Initiatives are available only in Finnish.