This Wednesday, July 10, the Metropolitan Council took place. Several delegates gathered at the Mediterranean University Center to debate and vote on resolutions. A crucial role in the management and development of the metropolitan region.
The first issues addressed were those of budget and finance, a fundamental aspect of the operation and management of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur. This concerns the allocation and use of resources to finance various public policies and development projects. Effective budget management is essential to ensure the proper functioning of public services, as well as the realization of projects and the maintenance of the quality of life for residents. This was discussed and debated on Wednesday, July 10.
A Rigorous Management Despite a Difficult Context
Philippe Pradal, president of the commission, presented the financial results of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur for the year 2023. He highlighted rigorous management despite a challenging economic context. During his presentation, Pradal emphasized the particular challenges of the year 2023, notably a high inflation rate of 4.9%.
However, he insisted that budget management has been exemplary due to significant efforts made to maintain major policies. He stated: “All the major policies of the Métropole, such as ecological transition, innovation, economy, and investments in our municipalities, have been preserved despite the bad news.” This control has limited the increase in operating expenses to 2.9%, thus generating significant savings despite an inflationary context.
The financial results show that capital expenditures reached 177 million euros on the main budget and 260 million euros, including the supplementary budgets. Philippe Pradal highlighted the improvement in the Métropole’s debt repayment capacity, which decreased from 18 to 13.8 years. This improvement reflects healthy financial management and a long-term commitment to the financial stability and sustainability of the Métropole.
Reactions and Deliberations
After this presentation, several personalities, notably members of the ecologist group, took the floor to express their concerns about indebtedness and its impact on the autonomy and well-being of citizens: “Let’s keep our focus on our citizens, housing, transport, and ensure a sustainable and supportive future.”
In response, Philippe Pradal and Richard Chemla reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining these priorities while prudently managing the Métropole’s finances.
The resolutions were then submitted to a vote, with questions on opposition and abstention for each point. These resolutions concerned various supplementary budgets, such as the transport supplementary budget, that of Nice Méridia, the operation of the Ports of Azur, and the supplementary budget of the Régie Tempêtes Alex-Aline. The council continued with the allocation of the results of the fiscal year 2023, always checking for opposition and abstentions.
