After a frantic start to the session for a few minutes by members of the defense collective of the Anatole-France college in Châteaudun, the hemicycle quickly regained calm, this Monday 21 November, at the Eure-et-Loir departmental council , in Chartres.
Those elected considered the guidelines of the Department’s 2023 budget for most of the morning. Before the debate, which remained courteous, the president of the Departmental Council, Christophe Le Dorven (LR), and his vice-presidents presented the roadmap of the community for the years to come.
A particular context
“These prospects are built against a backdrop of great uncertainty. Who would have thought we’d have runaway inflation, a war in Europe, materials that don’t arrive? “, asks Christophe Le Dorven, before pointing his finger” at the pact of trust, this great thing invented by the government and whose contours we do not know”.
But in “this restricted environment”, the President of the Departmental Council affirms his desire “that the level of investment remains high to enhance the attractiveness” of the Eure-et-Loir. With this in mind, the majority have planned an investment envelope of €110 million in 2023.
What are the priorities of the Eure-et-Loir Departmental Council for 2023?
Maintenance and development of the road network are among the top three priorities of the community, which intends to carry out a series of studies and operations, such as the completion of the diversion works at Nogent-le-Roi and launch of the one at Hanches/Epernon.
The executive also plans to continue the modernization of the colleges. Among real estate investments, planning is particularly envisaged” renovation and expansion of the Tomas-Divi secondary school in Châteaudun, with the integration of a Segpa (Adapted Section for General and Vocational Education, ed), in parallel with works to modify the school map of the dunois basin, finally accompanied by the closure of the Anatole-France college ».
To further help municipalities develop revitalization projects, the Department is expected to mobilize another 2.7 million euros in 2022, compared to 2023. “We want to support a lively rurality, not dormitory areas”, deciphers Christophe Le Dorven. An amount of 18 million of investments was allocated in 2023 to provide financial support to municipalities.
Franck Masselus (LR, Chartres 2) and Rémi Martial (LR, Chartres 3), elected by the minority group Territoires d’Eure-et-Loir, wanted to react and make some proposals, after the presentation of the budget guidelines of the executive department for 2023. “We share the observation, although Ukraine may have a good back. You have to reinvent yourself. It took us a long time to do it”, believes Franck Masselus, who is in favor of “outsourcing to local public companies, as Chartres Métropole has done”.
The president of the Departmental Council, Christophe Le Dorven, recognizes this: “We have to reinvent ourselves. I agree, we manage a Departmental Council which has nothing to do with the General Council chaired by Albéric de Montgolfier and Maurice Viollette”.
Rémi Martial indicates “a greater debt at the end of his mandate” and expresses “a reason for concern for the evolution of the personnel budget”. This increases, according to forecasts, from 80 million euros in 2021 to 98 million euros in 2027.
The increase in the wage bill “is explained by the Ségur de la santé and the increase in the index point of civil servants”, recalls the president of the Departmental Council. And to deplore: “These new expenses are being imposed on us. »
Some stumbling blocks were then raised on the issue of roads. “The deviation of Hips/Epernon, budgeted for a total of 16 million euros between 2023 and 2024, should be preceded by a global reflection on the Eure valley”, argues Rémi Martial. “A study of the Eure valley is underway. The Hips/Epernon diversion project has gained momentum with the imminent opening of the high school,” replied Christophe Le Dorven.
Joël Billard (LR, Châteaudun) is also surprised to see this deviation from Hanches-Epernon appear, “which was not foreseen in the previous multi-year investment plan”. The elected one adds: “I am not discussing the merits of the operation, but a detour to Châteaudun was also envisaged. A budget line had been accepted. We removed it when we drastically reduced the number of detours. »
Elena Bonnet
