Châteauroux Métropole is facing an unprecedented budgetary exercise. At issue: a 2025 finance bill (PLF) which is slow to be revealed and could redefine the rules of the game for communities. This Wednesday, November 13, during the Community Council, Philippe Simonnet, deputy delegate for finance, did not hide his dismay: “This budgetary orientation report (ROB) is, for once, not an exact foreshadowing of the final budget, since it does not take into account the measures of the PLF. »
“The budget presented in December will have a different appearance”
He thus drew up a table of possible levies: freezing of the share of VAT initially intended to compensate for the abolition of the property tax (€375,000), reduction of the VAT Compensation Fund (€300,000), and finally, the “fund precautionary measures” whose cost is expected to reach €1.125 million.
Added to this is the impact of the increase in pension contributions for local public employees, provided for in the Social Security finance law, i.e. a cost estimated at €750,000, of which 250,000 would be covered by pooling, with the City of Châteauroux. In total, the agglomeration could see its finances cut by €2.567 million if these provisions are maintained.
A virtual budget
Despite this worrying context, this “false” 2025 budget presented provides for a 3.6% increase in spending, reaching €74.97 million. On the revenue side, an increase of 3.33% is anticipated, mainly thanks to taxation, which represents more than half of the total of €81.53 million.
In the meantime, the community is moving forward, aware that adjustments will be necessary. “Normally, the project that we present is always close to the final budget. This year, that is not the case. The budget presented in December will have a different appearance”admitted Philippe Simonnet.
An Agglo ready to surrender
For 2025, an ambitious investment program is being maintained, dedicated to structuring projects such as the reconversion of the Balsan and Cerabati wastelands, the purchase of electric buses and the development of the station center.
A large part will be financed by borrowing and should actually lead the agglomeration to go into debt of 12 to 13 million euros. Thus, after years of reducing the debt, it should go from €7.83 million to €20 million. “We will then have to slow down our investments in the years to come. »
A light report
Opposition elected officials were quick to express their reservations regarding this orientation budget. “The exercise of the budgetary orientation debate is proving difficult. This report underestimates the financial risk posed by government projects”denounced David Navarro, pointing out the absence of alternative scenarios in the event of continued cuts.
Danielle Faure also criticized the lightness of the report. According to her, the presentation “minimizes the effects of the 2025 finance bill”. She subsequently implicated the president of Châteauroux Métropole, Gil Avérous, who, by accepting a ministerial post in the Barnier government, would find himself in a delicate position in the face of local interests.
Uncertainty continues to loom. All eyes are now turning to December, when the final presentation of the budget will take into account, this time, the current form of the PLF, even if this is likely to evolve. For the moment, the €2.567 million of “disaster scenario” would be paid for by borrowing.
