"It's a matter of privacy."

This is one of the ineffective arguments that the information site, Médiacités, received during its investigation into the expense reports of elected officials in twelve communities in the Hauts-de-France region.

The site wanted to comb through catering, accommodation or performance costs for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

First observation of the journalists who carried out this investigation, the communities were very reluctant to provide invoices and documents.

“It was necessary to appeal to the Commission for access to administrative documents for the Douai urban area (directed by Christian Poiret, also president of the departmental council of the North), the city and the community of urban areas of Valenciennes, as well as the European metropolis of Lille”, explains Médiacités.

Formal gifts

After this difficult collection of documents which must be used for a future large-scale comparison, certain "incongruities" have already been identified.

Thus, the town hall of Lille, in its ceremonial gifts, offered the former prefect Michel Lalande, when he left, a lithograph by the Icelandic artist Erró.

For an unspecified amount.

In Roubaix, it is a seminar bill for the elected representatives of the majority that surprises: 5,000 euros for an intervention by the speaker Bruno Poignard on "the functioning of the human being, focused on communication and the relationship with the other" .

“We hope that the municipal team, tossed since by the cases having affected the elected officials of Roubais, has been able to learn from it”, quips Médiacités.

Very expensive hotel

Another astonishing reimbursement, the city of Calais paid for the travel and accommodation of Natacha Bouchart in Angers, in September 2020, on the occasion of the launch of La République des Maires, a political initiative by center-right mayors around of former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

"A trip that has nothing to do with the inhabitants of Calais who will nevertheless bear the burden", underlines the information site.

Finally, the metropolis of Lille (Mel) is not to be outdone.

For their participation in the Cannes Mipim, devoted to real estate professionals, the president of Mel, Damien Castelain, was reimbursed for two nights in a hotel room at 499 euros per night, while the mayor of Valenciennes , Laurent Degallaix, present at the same show, stayed in a hotel half the price.

Policy

LREM MP Coralie Dubost announces her retirement from political life

Policy

The expenses of the President of the National Assembly question

  • Lille

  • Hauts-de-France

  • Communities

  • Transparency

  • Investigation

  • Refund