# Bjelland (municipality)

Bjelland is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. The 164-square-kilometre (63 sq mi) municipality from 1902 until 1964 when it was merged into Marnardal municipality. It is now located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Lindesnes. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Bjelland where Bjelland Church is located.

## History

The municipality of Bjelland was created on 1 January 1902 when the old municipality of Bjelland og Grindum was split into Bjelland (population: 907) and Grindheim (population: 909). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Bjelland municipality was dissolved. The majority of Bjelland (population: 535) was merged with the municipalities of Laudal, Øyslebø, and a small part of Finsland to create the new municipality of Marnardal. At the same time, the Ågedal and Midtbø area of Bjelland (population: 96) was transferred to the municipality of Audnedal.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Bjelland farm (Old Norse: Bjárland) since the first Bjelland Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the word bœr which means "farm" or "farmstead". The last element is land which means "land" or "district".

## Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Bjelland was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Bjelland herredsstyre 1960–1963 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 13 |
Bjelland herredsstyre 1956–1959 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 7 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 13 |
Bjelland herredsstyre 1952–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Bjelland herredsstyre 1948–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Bjelland herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
Bjelland herredsstyre 1938–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 12 |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |||