A public service deemed essential to reduce “territorial divides”, according to the Court of Auditors.
Launched 5 years ago in response to the yellow vest crisis, the France Services network is now supported by the Court of Auditors Bringing together a network of more than 2,840 spaces across France, the public service allows users to get help with their various administrative procedures.
In a report published on Wednesday, the Court of Auditors emphasizes that it helps reduce “territorial divides” and calls for a targeted increase in their funding. Social housing applications, registration with France Travail, income declarations… Nearly nine million procedures were carried out in France Services spaces in 2023, a number that has increased sharply compared to the large million procedures carried out in 2020.
Participation in terrorist cohesion
“User satisfaction exceeds 90%,” says the Court, which highlights the “comprehensive” range of public services offered by France Services spaces and a quality of support that is “consistent across the territory.”
The France Services network “unquestionably contributes to reducing territorial divides”, add the financial magistrates, who nevertheless call on the programme’s leaders (National Agency for Territorial Cohesion, government, public service operators) to “clarify its strategic orientations for the future”.
The Court therefore considers it necessary to take better account of the “specificities” of the territory in which a France Services space is established, and to “improve the reputation” of the network, which still relies largely on word of mouth.
In his response to the Court, the resigning Prime Minister Gabriel Attal highlights the “national and local communication campaigns” deployed by the government, as well as the “France Services days” or the “France Services buses”, which go to meet the most isolated users rather than waiting for them to visit.
He also insists on the outgoing government’s ambition to reach 3,000 France Services spaces “by 2027”. On the budgetary level, the cost of the France Services program is estimated by the Court of Auditors at “around 350 million euros” for 2024, of which 113 million are included in the general state budget. The latter has committed to increasing its subsidy to each France Services space from 35,000 euros in 2023 to 50,000 euros in 2026.
An additional grant
But this state funding “does not take into account the saturation situations of certain spaces”, notes the Court. “An additional flat-rate subsidy appears necessary” for France Services spaces which carry out more than three user support sessions per hour and per agent, the financial magistrates recommend.
In terms of human resources, the Court advocates better promotion of the specificities of the France Services advisor profession in the professional careers of these agents.
The functions of advisor require “technical mastery, initiative and interpersonal skills, in the face of sometimes complex situations”, she insists. In his response, the Prime Minister assures that he has “doubled the duration” of the initial and continuing training of advisors. A million euros has also been invested “to secure the premises of France services and therefore their advisors”, adds Matignon.
