It's official: a new municipality will soon see the light of day in Pas-de-Calais. It is calledHesdin-la-Foretthe new name for the grouping of four communes in Hesdinois, between Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise and Montreuil: Hesdin, Marconne, Huby-Saint-Leu and Sainte-Austreberthe.
The project, which has been in the pipeline for 50 years, was validated by the various municipal councils on Monday evening. The residents chose the name of the new commune, Hesdin-la-Forêt, which will have 4,700 inhabitants.
“Together we are stronger”
Near the fountain in the village of Marconne, a thousand inhabitants east of Hesdin, Catherine has already adopted his new municipality: “We are happy, this is the future! Together, we are stronger” she argues.
Roberte will happily change her habits when writing down her address: “I voted for Hesdin-la-Forêt, it's pretty too“, she smiles. Her mother, Christiane, is more measured : “If it can help financially to bring together several small villages, that's good. But Marconne is already very good as it is!“
“It won't change much, there's no need to worry, on the contrary“, reassures the mayor, Jean-Claude Fillion, pointing out strong links which already exist between the four municipalities: “When you go shopping or go to the swimming pool, you don't ask yourself whether you are in Hesdin, Marconne, Huby-Saint-Leu or Sainte-Austreberthe.“
More public services
The goal for the four mayors concerned: offer more services to residentsand carry more political weight.”This is a real marriage, and not just a marriage of money, it is a marriage of love.“, rejoices the mayor of Hesdin, Matthieu Demoncheaux.
He lists examples of public services that will emerge stronger: the CCAS, the municipal police, primary schools. Costs will be reduced by pooling resources: “For example, instead of buying four tractors, we buy a single, larger one, with all the equipment that goes with it.he explains. With this, we save money, and we are also more efficient in our work.“
Due in three and a half months
The smallest municipalities, Huby-Saint-Leu, Marconne and Sainte-Austreberthe, will be less limited by their small budgets and will retain their independence, with delegated mayors who will play the role of district mayors. political weight of the new commune of Hesdin-la-Forêt and its nearly 5,000 inhabitants will also be more important, within the canton as well as the community of communes of the 7 Valleys.
Next step: send the resolution voted on this Monday to the prefect for it to be validated, then the new municipality will officially be born on January 1, 2025It will be the only one in Pas-de-Calais, but in the North another new commune will also see the light of day: L'Orée de Mormal, in Avesnois, which will bring together the communes of Amfroipret and Bermeries.
