The municipality of Dijon and the metropolis are at the heart of a growing controversy. In a press release, the Agir pour Dijon Group calls into question municipal management concerning several real estate transactions and financial operations linked to the LCDP real estate group, led by Thierry Coursin, former chief of staff of the mayor of Dijon.
Press release of December 21, 2024:
“The municipality must be held accountable for its support for the LCDP group”
The Dijon municipality (city and metropolis) provides very questionable support to the LCDP real estate group, which has been in serious financial difficulty for several years.
The LCDP group is headed by Mr. Thierry Coursin, former chief of staff to the mayor of Dijon and former general director of the mixed economy company for the development of the Dijon agglomeration (SEMAAD). He bought SEMAAD following its privatization in 2016 under the name Société Est Métropole (SEM), under questionable conditions that we denounced at the time.
The municipality is today supporting this real estate group through a series of asset buybacks, under questionable conditions, since September 2022:
– Société Est Métropole (SEM), a subsidiary of LCDP, did not carry out the road and network work that was its responsibility as developer of the Heudelet 26 eco-district. The city of Dijon decided in September 2022 to replace the SEM to carry out the work estimated at €500,000, in return for the bank guarantees theoretically provided for this purpose. Although the SEM was in default in its obligations, there was no question of formal notices or penalties.
– The overhead car park located to the north of the headquarters of Dijon Métropole was simultaneously purchased at the price of €500,000, while the metropolis had a right of use for an unlimited period. This revenue allowed the SEM to compensate in 2022 for the cost of the work supported by the city, by a payment of €500,000 to the city of Dijon in substitution or compensation for the bank guarantees.
– The Heudelet public parking lot was purchased from the SEM by Dijon Métropole for an amount of €3 million excluding tax (€3.6 million including tax), decided by deliberation of December 8, 2022. This purchase was questionable in terms of opportunity, since this public parking lot authorized as part of the Heudelet 26 district project already existed. Its amount, although compatible with the opinion of the estate, is unjustified because this service was not informed that some of the locations had been subject to long-term rentals with immediate payment to the SEM or LCDP, particularly from social landlords. The questionable price difference would amount to several hundred thousand euros, perhaps €600,000. It is observed that the sale was only made on June 18, 2024, i.e. beyond the validity period of the estate's notice dated November 23, 2022, which was 18 months. Finally, credits were included for €500,000 in the initial 2024 budget to improve the equipment.
– The “Atrium” building in the Grésilles district was suddenly purchased by Dijon Métropole from the SEM in June 2023 for an amount of €2.42 million excluding tax (€2.9 million including tax), although this project is not had never been mentioned upstream either in the budget or in the service master plan. Very significant work, worth more than €2.5 million, has since been carried out by the metropolis to renovate this building.
– The square in front of the entrance to the metropolis was bought by Dijon Métropole from the SEM for €500,000 in December 2023, which is aberrant because this real estate area has no economic vocation and should never have been affected to the SEM during privatization.
– A plot of building land of 1,900 m2 located rue Recteur Marcel Bouchard in the Novarea site purchased by Dijon Métropole from the SEM for a value of €750,000 excluding tax (€900,000 including tax), following a deliberation of March 28, 2024 , in order to contribute this asset to the capital of the new mixed economy company of the Dijon metropolis formed in July 2024 under the name Bourgogne Busines Building (D3B). The land was purchased from the SEM by the EPFL on March 1, 2024, before being resold in Dijon metropolis. It is also not excluded that other assets of the SEM will be purchased in the future by D3B.
In total, the city of Dijon and Dijon Métropole have purchased assets from the SEM for a value of €8.4 million including tax since September 2024, and undertaken renovation work for more than €3 million.
Furthermore, Dijon Métropole, although informed, did not react to the scandal of the illegal dismantling of the former CARSAT BFC headquarters belonging to LCDP, carried out by travelers from September to November 2024, in defiance of risks linked to asbestos which is very present in this building.
All of these real estate operations are of primary interest to the city or metropolis, but also to the Caisse d'Epargne BFC group, the main financier of the SEM and the LCDP group. It turns out that Ms. Nathalie Koenders has sat on its supervisory board since 2020 and also receives €5,000 in compensation annually in this capacity, which places her in a conflict of interest situation.
Mr. Thierry Coursin ostensibly remains close to the Dijon municipality. He appeared in a place reserved in the first row of the public for the installation session of Ms. Nathalie Koenders as mayor of Dijon on the proposal of Mr. François Rebsamen, on November 25, 2024.
The support provided by the current Dijon municipality (city and metropolis) in different forms to the LCDP group is shocking from the point of view of the general interest and raises questions of probity.
Group Act for Dijon
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