At the municipal council, the share of the Palais des congrès in the investment of the 2025 budget is debated

Julien Plantier has staunchly defended the budget and the h2 convention center project. Midi Libre – AD. B.

Le chantier de h2 capte près d’un quart des investissements 2025. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

The vote on the initial budget gave rise to lively debates, particularly on the choices of investments made by the City.

No gifts for the last city council of the year! After an unexpected postponement of the deliberation that was to reappoint Simon Casas as head of the Nîmes bullfighting arenas, it was the vote on the initial budget that occupied the various political groups in Nîmes.

The very courteous Pascal Gourdel, deputy for finance, first presented a preliminary budget of the main budget (already discussed during the budget orientation report) where the level of investment remains, contrary to the national context, remains “very high, with €83.5 million in accordance with what I had indicated to you (during the budget orientation report, Editor's note)”. A level of investment largely boosted by the construction of the Palais des congrès (€17.5 million for 2025, for an estimated total cost of €59 million) which should be delivered in October 2025. The Palais des congrès alone therefore represents almost a quarter of the investment section, the second item, road renovation, amounting to €3.5 million, followed by school buildings (2.2).

31 additional police officers

The operating section amounts to €267,630,895, with an increase in payroll, linked in particular to the hiring of 31 additional municipal police officers (we will come back to this). Overall, this budget therefore amounts to €354.7 million, an increase of 2.33% compared to last year. This is possible thanks to the increase in operating resources, in particular levies, despite tax rates that are not changing.

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On the offensive, Vincent Bouget, leader of Nîmes citoyenne à gauche, insists on several points. First, he notes that the non-increase in taxes could have been transformed into a reduction in taxation, given the increase in revenue, which is not the case. Still in terms of redistribution, he regrets that the CCAS has not had an increase in subsidies while “social difficulties are growing” . For the investment part, he regrets that the construction site of the Palais des Congrès “is draining” taxpayers' money when “investments in roads are very limited” and “municipal assets are not sufficiently maintained”. Finally, he concludes on the Costières stadium, “since you have included a budget line of €700,000 for this subject”, where he asks, once again, for transparency. “We ask you once again to provide us with the studies that first led you to consider that the stadium could not be renovated, then the studies that now tell you that it is possible.”

Valérie Rouverand: “Tax revenues could have allowed to ease the tax burden”

In the process, Valérie Rouverand (Les Progressistes) has substantially the same points of attack. “The additional tax revenues could have eased the tax burden”, she said for taxes, before regretting that the Palais des congrès alone captures so much investment, to the detriment “of the daily lives of our fellow citizens, which are less visible […]. You are in a headlong rush”.

For the RN, finally, Laurence Gardet chose to devote her speaking time to thanking the deputies of her camp “for having overthrown the Barnier government” and thus having “protected the French”. She was surprised that, for the installation of video surveillance cameras, “the share of the budget allocated is lower than in the city of Beaucaire (managed by the RN, Editor's note)”.

Julien Plantier: “The Palais des congrès will be the symbol of the future face of the Porte de France district. It is a project that we fully assume”

First deputy Julien Plantier, seized with cold anger after these attacks, responded point by point. In particular on the Palais des congrès, a “important facility, a real structuring project. It will be the symbol of the future face of the Porte de France district. It is a project that we fully assume […]. For the roads, it is a significant, substantial envelope (Editor's note: nearly €14 million according to the City, counting all the items). Our budget is ambitious but controlled. Contradiction is necessary and must be constructive. But when I hear certain arguments from the opposition and certain refrains, I have the impression that they are like the budget that we are voting on: primitive.”

The budget was voted on with the votes of the municipal majority. The left voted against. The Center and the far right abstained.

Continuation of the municipal council in our Monday edition. I subscribe to read the rest