Besançon. The official accommodation proposed to the DGS by Ludovic Fagaut annoys his opponents
Those who were worried about how Sébastien Lenoir, new Director General of Services (DGS) of the City of Besançon, Grand Besançon Métropole (GBM) and the CCAS, was going to find accommodation upon his arrival in the Comtoise capital, from Nice, can rest assured: Ludovic Fagaut had everything planned. The president of GBM thus took advantage of the back-to-school community council on Thursday, September 24, to validate the allocation of official accommodation – charges and fluids included – to his new recruit. “A singular political choice”, for the former president of the community, Anne Vignot. What shocks her even more than the benefit in kind is the timing. “The proposal was made to the DGS even before submitting it to our assembly. There is something wrong which suggests that the decision was considered made. » Another complaint against the executive: the vagueness around the amount of this measure since no figure appears in the dedicated report. “We have no estimate of the real cost. If it is a house in Bregille or an apartment in Planoise, we imagine that it is not the same price,” explains Philippe Doléjal, mayor of Mazerolles-le-Salin. The latter explains that in committee, it was a question of “1,300 or 1,500 € per month”.
“The law allows it”
And if the amount will never be explained by Ludovic Fagaut or his vice-presidents, it concerns certain community councilors who fear having to justify it to their constituents. “If tomorrow I meet someone in my village and they ask me if it’s true that GBM pays for a manager’s water, gas and electricity when she can’t fill her tank, I don’t know if telling them that it’s legal will calm their bitterness and anger. This represents more than €100,000 over six years. It’s not nothing, and when you meet people who are struggling, it hurts them,” affirms the Mazerollais councilor.
Because yes, this system is legal and this is one of the arguments put forward by the president. “The law allows it, so it is a useful tool to make our territory attractive. If we want to have people who are extremely competent – which is what we want for the region – we must give ourselves the means. » Ludovic Fagaut even assures that GBM is not innovative and that other communities use this advantage in kind, including on the left of the political spectrum. “Dijon is not of my political persuasion. Neither does Saint-Étienne. And this is practiced in these cities. »
“These advantages no longer have any reason to exist”
Not enough to reassure or convince the community opposition, Martin Mellion (La France insoumise) in the lead: “We are going to pay for the entire accommodation of an executive who is better paid than 99% of the inhabitants of GBM. These advantages no longer exist. Another rebellious elected official, Séverine Véziès, regrets this choice in its financial impact. “The communities have a limited budget, I think that in view of the general interest, it is better to direct funds to support vulnerable populations. »
Ludovic Fagaut may well point out that this measure is subject to tax, but Anne Vignot will continue to express her discontent as well as her concern: “Is this the door open to the extension of these recruitment practices? “.
The imperturbable executive
Several members of the opposition, including Jean-Sébastien Leuba (Socialist Party), believe that it would have been preferable not to include fluids in this negotiation, in the name of “exemplarity”, but the executive will remain inflexible, like Pascal Routhier, vice-president in charge of finance: “Like businesses, communities do not develop by leveling down.” The deliberation has been adopted, Sébastien Lenoir can unpack his boxes. All that remains is to discover the list of guests for the housewarming party.
