In Clermont-Ferrand, on the occasion of its 31e convention held from 13 to 15 October, the Assembly of the Communities of France has evolved into the Intercommunalités de France. This name change is not trivial. It marks the desire of the “intercos” to be better identified on the institutional level and, in the words of the president of the association, Sébastien Martin, president (various right) of the agglomeration community of Grand Chalon (Saône-et -Loire),“To affirm the intercommunal fact”.
Inter-municipal authorities have in fact experienced contradictory movements since the law of July 12, 1999, known as the “Chevènement law”, which truly consecrated their growth. The Maptam and NOTRe laws, implemented under François Hollande’s five-year term, finalized the landscape throughout the country and broadened its powers, causing a number of bitterness. The moment came when, at the same time as the metropolises were institutionalized – there are now twenty-three of them – critics focused on these “XXL intercos”, whose perimeter did not always meet the criteria. objectives and in which the mayors of small towns feared being dispossessed of their powers.
Resistance was particularly fierce on the transfer of skills for water and sanitation. And it is not yet completely defused, as evidenced by the amendments adopted in the Senate during the first reading of the “3DS” bill – for “differentiation, decentralization, deconcentration and simplification”. The senatorial offensive against intercommunalities, carried out jointly with the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), chaired by François Baroin, has aroused fears of a desire to “Unraveling” and of “Go back” on the competences of these groupings of municipalities.
Fuzzy answers
“Let’s stop looking for what skills we are going to be able to take from one community to another, pleaded Mr. Martin at the opening of the congress. That any measure which would create dissension between us or which would constitute a step backwards be withdrawn from the text. “ The response of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Jacqueline Gourault, was intended to be soothing. Confirming that consideration of the bill would begin “The week of December 6” in the National Assembly, she assured that there would be “No unraveling of intercommunalities”. “We must respect the vote of the Senate but we do not want certain provisions which were adopted there calling into question inter-municipal integration to be maintained”, explained the former senator.
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