Lanta municipality finances: two elected officials decry municipal council’s ‘silence’
through Paul Halbedel
has been published
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In March 2022, a few days after Lanta’s deputy mayor was ousted in a municipal council vote, Florence Ranch and Nadine Sova they decided to empty their bags in the interview requested by the editors Voice of South Lauragais. They had many disagreements with the mayor of the time. Mark Mengaudand his first assistant, Laurent Leleuresponsible for finance.
The two elected officials then pointed a number of fingers malfunctions in the functioning of the municipal council while delivering financial concerns from the community. Elements that Regional Accounting Chamber in turn, it was emphasized in the conclusions of the report on the management of the municipality between 2016-2021.
“The municipal council on the ground is responsible for its silence”
Suffice it to say that Florence Ranz and Nadine Sova were not at all surprised when they discovered the financial jurisdiction observations almost a month ago. “This the report completely confirms what we have been saying for two years and especially that our concerns are based on financial issues,” the press release co-signed by the two elected officials first emphasized. Before returning to an episode last March that had already moved past assistants.
In December 2020, the municipality had to take out an emergency loan of 420,000 euros. This event should have been a trigger, but it wasn’t. Despite our warnings, elected officials continued to vote on budgets. Only one adviser stepped up to the plate with us, and that was Sébastien Estieu (elected from the opposition during the events, editor’s note).
Florence Ranc is surprised by the speech at that time by Laurent Leleu. “The financial assistant explained to the press that everything was fine,” he said. “The local municipal council is responsible for this situation with its silence” condemns the chosen one.
Remy Diaz: “It’s not my record”
During a city council meeting in December, new mayor Rémi Diaz relayed the main lines of the Regional Audit Chamber’s report back to elected officials. Florence Ranz then took the floor, lamenting the wait-and-see attitude of the city council in recent months. “We analyzed the finances, we talked to all of you about it. And you continued to say nothing and vote. You are all responsible for this financial situation. “We could prepare an action plan to avoid such a situation from October 2020,” he said. A remark that caused an immediate reaction from Remi Diaz: “We had our differences and were as ignorant as you. And then this observation is for the period 2016-2021… What I suggest to you today is that you work collectively and responsibly to change the trajectory. The past, we will not change it. “Nadine Sova then said a lot in the direction of her colleague:” We have been aware for two and a half years. It’s a huge waste of time. Remy Diaz replied again, “Fine. But it’s not my record, I’m not responsible for it. All this without any other elected official getting involved in the discussion.
They are interested in the strategy of the municipality
Given the tight financial situation, Nadine Sova and Florence Ranz are interested in the strategy that has been in place since the arrival of the new mayor. Remy Diazat the head of the commune last October. “When the financial situation is critical, the financial delegation was entrusted to the fifth deputy”they are surprised at first.
Before regretting that it does not belong to the delegation of urban development, although in their opinion, the municipality will be able to raise the financial level by finding some dynamism in this matter.
Since 2017, there hasn’t been a more damaging urban planning assistant than the PLU review. . Unfortunately, the various taxes associated with urbanization bring considerable cash to the municipality: they complement state grants and various tax revenues.
They demand a revision of the local city plan
During recent PLU meetings, while admitting that they oppose the demographic growth that is so important to Lanta, two municipal councilors consider “It is a priority that the Plus review be restored as soon as possible and ultimately succeed”.
In 2019, 2020 and 2021, 39 construction permits were issued each year, and only 10 in 2022. It won’t help our finances. Knowing that the inspection is complete, it will take a few more months for permits to be issued and revenues to flow into municipal coffers.
So the two elected officials are worried about each other “The development of the city has stopped” and fear that the situation will continue with harmful consequences. “Apart from finance, lack of construction a lack of new students in our schools : lower kindergarten enrollment will not compensate for CM2’s trips to college. The chancellorship risks closing classes,” Florence Ranz and Nadine Sova warn.
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