Gard Departmental Council: call for vigilance when validating the administrative account

Françoise Laurent-Perrigot. Archives Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

En séance plénière au Pont du Gard, les conseillers ont validé le compte administratif dans un contexte rendu plus difficile par la conjoncture économique.

After two budgetary exercises deemed “very favorable”, post-Covid, the Department of Gard validated a tighter 2023 administrative account this Friday, June 28, in a full session at the Pont du Gard. In particular, inflation, the difficult situation in the real estate market (the Department's revenues include DMTO, transfer taxes for valuable consideration, directly resulting from real estate transactions) and the increase in certain expenditures. start with social action. This represents "524.3 M€, with an increase of 42 M€", underlined vice-president Rémi Nicolas. If gross savings are decreasing (it amounts to 82.2 million euros), we note positive signs of management: a low level of borrowing up to 10 M€" and "a debt reduced to 461 M€" compared to 495 at the end of 2023.

This administrative account, as well as the modifying decision to "adapt resources to needs" were voted by a majority minus the votes of the right-wing opposition (abstention) and the RN (against). For the right, departmental councilor Léa Boyer deplored “a cruel lack of ambition”, citing among other things the renovation of road infrastructure, support for nursing homes, the ;support for the energy transition. "Let's not give in to discouragement !", she insisted.

For the UDI center and independent group, Philippe Ribot calls for a “rationalization of expenses. Merely controlling debt is insufficient. For the majority, President Françoise Laurent-Perrigot insisted on her desire to "stay the right course. Our budgetary vigilance must under no circumstances lead to inaction on our part.

One of the satisfactions of this plenary session of the departmental council is the validation of the security plan for the Sainte-Cécile d’Andorge and Cambous dams, submitted to the vote, after the favorable opinion of the investigating commissioners given at the public inquiry, on May 6. Patrick Malavieille, who knows the sector perfectly as a Grandcomien elected official, pointed out that this "very important file"  dragged on, seeing seven prefects pass before its validation. No opposition has been made on this subject.

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