“Our communities are in a situation of unknown severity to date. We can no longer, our public policies are in danger.” The president of the Ille-et-Vilaine Departmental Council, Jean-Luc Chenut, opened the session of this Thursday, November 7, 2024 of the Departmental Assembly with a cry of alert. In his sights: the finance bill submitted to Parliament which, according to him, will cut off the funds of communities, and in particular of the Departments. Local authorities would thus be required to make 5 billion euros in savings. At least.
A budgetary imbalance of 77 million euros
Shortly before 11 a.m., elected officials “walked out” in front of the gates of the Hôtel du Département to mark the occasion and show their great concern. “We are facing a considerable drop in our resources and, simultaneously, a very strong increase in our spending, particularly social spending. The budgetary imbalance will therefore be 77 million euros. The Department will face 33 million euros of new expenses to finance with 44 million less revenue. To date, the objective of achieving a balanced 2025 budget appears impossible,” indicates the Department.
Investment down 9% in 2025
Frédéric Martin, from the Finance Committee, adds, alarmist: “the level of investment will therefore be limited from 2025, around 130 million euros, or 9% less compared to the 2021-2023 average. Investment for the period 2026-2028 will be heavily capped. These will be craftsmen who will have fewer contracts.”
The skills of the departments range from the management of colleges, SDIS (departmental fire and rescue service), roads (departmental roads, rural facilities) to support for health and social establishments (EHPAD, accommodation homes, etc.). “The department is not an abstract entity. We provide first-aid assistance, with funding from the RSA, nursing homes, and participation in nursing homes. However, the State is abandoning us,” insists Jean-Luc Chenut.
“Very difficult decisions to make”
Who adds: “55,000 beneficiaries of direct aid could be impacted. An imbalance of 77 million euros would be equivalent to three years without investing in the road network, or 10 years without intervening for SDIS 35, or 2 years without investing in middle schools or even 15 months of middle school closures because these 77 million euros equivalent to their operating cost. This shows the extreme difficulty of our situation. »
He states: “Very difficult decisions will have to be made regarding our optional expenditure, whether in the field of sport, culture or the associative environment. We will have to look at everything. » While waiting to see “in what sauce they will be eaten”, the vote on the 2025 budget was postponed by one month, to the session from March 19 to 21, 2025.
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