# Telemark County Municipality

Telemark County Municipality (Norwegian: Telemark fylkeskommune) is the regional governing administration of Telemark county in Norway. The county municipality was established in its current form on 1 January 1976 when the law was changed to allow elected county councils in Norway. The county municipality was dissolved on 1 January 2020, when Telemark was merged with the neighboring Vestfold county, creating the new Vestfold og Telemark county which is led by the Vestfold og Telemark County Municipality. In 2024, it was re-established.
The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 29 upper secondary schools. It administeres the county roadways, public transport, dental care, culture, and cultural heritage in the county. The administration is located in Skien. The county municipality has around 1,544 employees, and in 2007, a revenue of 1,508 million kr.

## County government

The Telemark county council (Norwegian: Fylkestinget) is made up of 35 representatives that were elected every four years. The council essentially acted as a Parliament or legislative body for the county and it met several times each year. The council is divided into standing committees and an executive board (fylkesutvalg) which meet considerably more often. Both the council and executive board are led by the County Mayor (fylkesordfører) who held the executive powers of the county. From 2017 until its dissolution in 2020, Gunn Marit Helgesen of the Conservative Party was the county mayor.

### County council

The party breakdown of the council is as follows:
Telemark fylkesting 2016–2019 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 16 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 5 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 2 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Red Party (Rødt) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Telemark fylkesting 2012–2015 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 16 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 5 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 10 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Telemark fylkesting 2008–2011 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 15 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Red Party (Rødt) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Telemark fylkesting 2004–2007 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 14 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 4 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Telemark fylkesting 2000–2003 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 19 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 8 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 8 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 |
| | Red Electoral Alliance (Rød Valgallianse) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1996–1999 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 19 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 7 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) | 2 |
| | Red Electoral Alliance (Rød Valgallianse) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1992–1995 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 18 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 4 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 9 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Red Electoral Alliance (Rød Valgallianse) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 9 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1988–1991 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 24 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 5 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 11 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1984–1987 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 27 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1980–1983 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 24 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 |
| | Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |
Telemark fylkesting 1976–1979 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 24 |
| | Anders Lange's Party (Anders Langes parti) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 9 |
| | New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 55 |

## Upper Secondary Schools

The county government ran these schools:
* Bamble Upper Secondary School
* Bø vidaregåande skule
* Croftholmen Upper Secondary School
* Hjalmar Johansen Upper Secondary School
* Kragerø Upper Secondary School
* Lunde vidaregåande skule
* Notodden Upper Secondary School
* Porsgrunn Upper Secondary School
* Rjukan Upper Secondary School
* Skien Upper Secondary School
* Skogmo Upper Secondary School
* Søve Upper Secondary School
* Vest-Telemark Upper Secondary School