Reorganization of city and metropolitan services: frontline employees

Éric Ciotti presented the reorganization of municipal and metropolitan services this morning at City Hall. As since the beginning of his term, the mayor’s objective is to facilitate the functioning of administrations and boost the budget.

“I considered that this administration in its hierarchical structure was oversized to conduct effective public action,” says Éric Ciotti.

At the heart of the Salon Chéret at City Hall, the mayor of Nice presented the new organizational chart of municipal and metropolitan services. The municipality’s objective is to bring about a simplification of the administration’s functioning, but also to make savings.

The President of the Metropolis Nice Côte d’Azur mentions a “strained” budgetary situation. Half of expenditures are allocated to the functioning of the city and nearly a quarter to the operating expenses of the metropolis. For the municipal majority, it is urgent to reorganize services in order to bring transparency.

A reorganization deemed necessary

The announced reorganization aims to move from 126 departments to 32. Figures that provoked a reaction from the public heard in the audience.

The new organizational chart aims to optimize the internal functioning of administrations. The idea is to clarify decision-making chains to make public action clear. More operational, more direct and faster actions are expected. The mayor of Nice has indeed affirmed his commitment to making procedures simpler and less subject to regulations.

“I want an administration that has the means to respond as quickly, as effectively and as directly as possible to the expectations of Nice residents,” affirms Éric Ciotti.

This simplification goes hand in hand with a control of spending. The reduction in the number of services will also make it possible to achieve savings and control operating costs. “120 departments means 120 service vehicles, 120 secretariats and facilities,” insists the mayor of Nice.

These savings can be allocated to priority services, such as security and local services. “We will increase the municipal police staff by 50%. We will also implement a thermal renovation plan in schools,” confirms the mayor of Nice.

Part of the opposition at Nice’s city hall does not view this desire to “economize” favorably. “Public services are not a budgetary adjustment variable. Nice residents deserve better than a policy that weakens their public services,” defends Julien Picot, a communist opposition elected official.

The Director General of Services, Christophe Picard, presents an organization with around thirty departments. “These will be directors whom we will appoint on September 1st.“

Existing ones will then be integrated into the new departments. “Many departments are expected to merge and others to disappear,” assures the director general of services.

Feared repercussions on employees

The mayor of the Côte d’Azur city assured that there was no opposition from trade union organizations during the presentation of this organizational chart to the territorial social committee on June 30th.

“We must reduce costs that are not essential in order to turn them towards strategic investments for the future,” considers Éric Ciotti. Yet the consequences of this reduction in services could be drastic for municipal employees.

“Non-renewal of fixed-term contracts may occur, but this is not new, there have always been some. Each position is evaluated based on its usefulness,” acknowledges the mayor of Nice.

Christophe Picard acknowledges that this organizational chart will inevitably entail significant human consequences. “We will support employees, directors and department heads who will be the first impacted. We will ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible for all employees.”

On the side of the municipal opposition, this new organization raises concerns about the preservation of public services.
“Behind the reorganization announcements hides a reality: fewer employees means less public service, less proximity and a degradation of service provided to residents,” reacts Julien Picot.