The congress of the departments of France will be held in Rennes from 7 to 9 November. The representatives of the large associations of elected representatives will be there. Negotiations with the state have resumed.
Did the "slinging up" of local authorities reach its climax on September 26 in Marseille? On that day, the eve of the national congress of the association Régions de France, nearly 1,200 elected representatives of all political parties issued a solemn appeal to the government "for local liberties", expressing their distrust of the 'executive. A ministerial reshuffle later, a reconciliation seems in sight, this time on the eve of the national congress of the Association of French Departments (ADF) scheduled for November at the Convent of the Jacobins in Rennes.
Last Tuesday, Dominique Bussereau, President of the ADF, François Baroin, President of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), and Hervé Morin, President of Regions of France, were received at the Elysee. In front of them, Emmanuel Macron made commitments "extremely clear", welcomes Dominique Bussereau. "He told us that he wanted an agreement on individual solidarity allowances and unaccompanied minors before the Rennes congress".
These mandatory expenditures, paid by the departments on behalf of the state, are not fully compensated for, while they continue to increase. Unaccompanied minors, these young migrants who enter France without parents, were 25,000 in 2017, against 40,000 this year alert Dominique Bussereau, because of an increase in arrivals, since summer, from Spain .
20 million in Ille-et-Vilaine
Their support was estimated at 1.3 billion euros at the expense of the departments last year, and 2 billion this year. And all are concerned. " The protection of childhood in our country is 3,100 young people placed in foster homes or in structures, 550 of whom are NAMs", testifies Jean-Luc Chenut, president of the departmental council of Ille-et -Ugly. "Five years ago, it was a budget of less than $ 5 million. Today is 21, with only one million state aids ! He adds.
Adding the insufficient compensation of individual solidarity allowances (RSA, APA for the elderly ...), the president of the Association of the departments of France fears that about thirty departments are running out of money before the end of year.
Jacqueline Gourault, the new Minister of Territorial Cohesion, estimates that "15 to 20" departments were indeed "in a very bad financial position". She announces a "gesture" on the part of the government.
What will be the amount of the "boost" expected by the departments? "Negotiations are underway, says Dominique Bussereau, without specifying the amounts involved. I have full confidence in Jacqueline Gourault and Sébastien Lecornu (Minister in charge of relations with the communities). They have a personal culture of interest to communities. "
An agreement reached before Wednesday, November 7 would make the Rennes Congress the symbol of the beginning of a return to normal between the State and local elected officials.