Falling revenues, rising expenses: Nîmes Métropole's difficult task of sticking to its budget

Un vote du budget bien plus complexe que lors des exercices précédents. Midi Libre – Archives MiKAEL ANISSET

Plombé par l’actuelle absence de perspectives financières gouvernementales, le budget de l’Agglomération de Nîmes sera marqué en 2025 par une volonté de préserver l’investissement mais des marges de manœuvres financières qui se raréfient considérablement.

The vote on the 2025 budget, in a national context that is known to be very complex, was the central point of the discussions of this last 2025 community council of the Agglomeration of Nîmes. While several other communities have moved this point from their agenda, unsurprisingly, the president Franck Proust wanted to be offensive from the first minutes of the session: “My choice was not to touch a hair of the budget prepared with great seriousness. Indeed, the State's finances are not improving because it is not by breaking the thermometer as the censors did that we cure ourselves of the fever”, metaphorized the president of Nîmes Métropole.

€119 million dedicated to investment

A budget bringing good news for taxpayers with unchanged tax rates and a 10% reduction in the household waste collection tax, less good with the increase in the price of water (read below), but which maintains a desire to preserve investment with an envelope of €119 million. Covering major axes such as transport, with €16.1 million for the renewal of rolling stock; the creation of park and ride lots and multimodal interchange hubs or the extension of the T4 to Caissargues. Flood prevention with Papi III (€41.6 million), work on water and sanitation infrastructure and waste management (€6.4 million with the modernization of waste disposal sites in the area, or the continuation of the 100% composting Territory program), but also support for projects in the Agglomeration municipalities (€25.7 million in the main budget).

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A 3% increase in the price of water

"Taking into account the inflation expected for the year 2025, the evolution of the remuneration of the concessionaire and the volumes of work to be financed, an overall increase in the price of water including tax of 3% is proposed in order to maintain the level of investments in water and sanitation allowing the implementation of the master plans.Faced with this decision, the rapporteur Jean-Luc Chailan thus specified that the water and sanitation tariff will be established as of January 1, at  3.7330 euros excluding tax per m3, or  4.0089 euros including tax per m3, "which represents an increase of  12 euro cents including tax per m3, or an increase of  14 euros. TTC per year for a bill of 120 m3. But added the vice-president of the water department: the price“remains well below the order of – 11%, compared to the national average which stands at – 4.52 euros including tax per m3 (from the report of the Observatory of Public Water and Sanitation Services of June 2024 on 2022 data). The annual bill of 120 m3 will amount to – 481.06 euros VAT on January 1, 2025, to be compared with the amount of €542.40 VAT included for the national average bill.

However, the weight of the national and local context cannot prevent the picture from becoming dark with a significant increase in debt repayment capacity, which will go from 6.4 years per inhabitant to 9.8 years. The majority justifying this jump by expenditure which “is increasing under the effect of government decisions and exceptional elements”, combined with a drop in gross savings and revenue, supported First Vice-President Frédéric Beaume. A loan of €13 million is also planned.

A “pre-election drift” by Franck Proust ?

The opposition taking the floor, PC leader Vincent Bouget was pleased to remind the chairman of the session that it was indeed a government of his majority that had just been defeated on its Finance Act. Then pointing out a level of debt reduction “back to that of the beginning of the mandate and whose €493 million does not take into account the debt that SPL Agate carries on behalf of the Agglo, amounting to €27 million”. Concerns shared by Valérie Rouverand, particularly on the lack of commitment of the majority in environmental matters. The representative of the Progressives castigating a “pre-election drift” of Franck Proust with communication campaigns judged to be far too present and therefore paid for by public funds.

Will Montpellier pay the “high price”? ?

Criticisms that Frédéric Beaume and Franck Proust have endeavored to dismantle. The latter even playing the oracle, tackling the neighboring Montpellier Metropolis in passing: “I note that the panoramic view of the budgetary situation of cities, agglomerations, metropolises or regions that have embarked on these major operating expenses such as free transport (effective in its entirety within the Montpellier Metropolis for a year, Editor's note), the lack of control of personnel costs, shows us that they will pay a high price. And it is the local taxpayer who will pay the price! I note with you to review the budgets and tax increases in these communities.” An indicator to follow, particularly for the local left which advocates for the implementation of free public transport in Nîmes and the surrounding area. See you in a few months…

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