We were already familiar with neighborhood committees, which are generally organized as nonprofit associations under the 1901 law. Broadly speaking, their purpose is to defend the interests of local residents.
Since March 2002 and the law on local democracy, we have seen the creation of 18 neighborhood councils.
Main objectives of the local democracy law:
– More broadly involve citizens in local decisions,
– Strengthen the rights of local elected officials, especially those of the opposition,
– Facilitate access to local mandates, better articulate these mandates with professional activity, strengthen the training of local elected officials, and improve the conditions under which mandates are exercised,
– Ensure the transparency of the planning process for development and equipment projects and public participation in the development of major projects.
There are 18 in Nice, coordinated by Richard POGLIANO, Mission Officer at the Mayor’s office in the local delegation:
– Neighborhood Council No. 1 “St Augustin – Les Moulins – Arénas – Ste Marguerite”
– Neighborhood Council No. 2 “St Isidore – Lingostière – Les Combes – Bellet – St Antoine”
– Neighborhood Council No. 3 “Estienne d’orves, Saint Philippe, Grosso, le Piol”
– Neighborhood Council No. 4 “Pessicart – St Pierre de Féric – St Pancrace”
– Neighborhood Council No. 5 “Cimiez”
– Neighborhood Council No. 6 “Rimiez – Gairaut”
– Neighborhood Council No. 7 “L’Ariane – La Lauvette – L’Abadie”
– Neighborhood Council No. 8 “Pasteur- St Pons-Exposition”
– Neighborhood Council No. 9 “Le Trident – Roquebillière – St Charles – Bon Voyage”
– Neighborhood Council No. 10 “Port – Riquier – Mont-Boron”
– Neighborhood Council No. 11 “Diables Bleus – St Roch – Vinaigrier”
– Neighborhood Council No. 12 “Las Planas – St Sylvestre – Cessole – Gorbella”
– Neighborhood Council No. 13 “Borriglione – St Maurice – Le Ray”
– Neighborhood Council No. 14 “Vieux-Nice”
– Neighborhood Council No. 15 “Carabacel – Médecin – Gambetta”
– Neighborhood Council No. 16 “Libération – Malausséna – Joseph Garnier”
– Neighborhood Council No. 17 “La Madeleine – Magnan – Canta Gallet – Ventabrun”
– Neighborhood Council No. 18 “Californie – Fabron”
Composition of the councils:
The composition consists of three colleges:
– College A includes 4 voluntary elected officials from the majority and opposition,
– College B is made up of 7 representatives from neighborhood committees, elected through an official vote in a public polling station by two major electors from the neighborhood committees,
– College C consists of 7 individuals who have applied by mail to the Mayor and are appointed solely by him.
At the first constitutive meeting, a committee is elected that includes a president, a secretary, and four members. The president is nominated when candidates for the various posts make themselves known.
Role and Power:
To provide an analogy, the neighborhood council acts as an elevator that provides the municipality with a continuous status of the major issues of the neighborhood, and in turn, informs the population about the decisions taken by the city concerning these issues, if it falls under its jurisdiction because sometimes it is necessary to address the county council or the prefecture.
The neighborhood council only has a consultative role; it cannot decide on projects by itself.
