French regional audit chambers flag rising local government costs

Regional audit chambers in France have released reports highlighting financial and personnel management challenges within local government entities.

In La Boissière-du-Doré, the Pays de la Loire regional audit chamber identified strained finances and irregularities. Despite a 66% population increase between 1999 and 2022, the commune's resources have not kept pace. Management costs rose by an average of 7.1% annually between 2019 and 2024, while revenues grew by only 4.1%. This has led to a significant drop in the operating surplus and negative net self-financing capacity for three consecutive years. Additionally, personnel expenses reached €431 per inhabitant, significantly higher than the average for comparable municipalities.

In the Haute Bigorre community of communes, the Occitanie regional audit chamber noted a rise in the payroll mass. While local leadership, including President Jacques Brune, defended the recruitment as necessary to maintain public services and noted high levels of resource pooling, the report emphasized the increasing costs of staff. Officials noted that the report includes various delegated services and does not fully account for certain state-funded positions intended for specific local development programs.