For the public prosecutor, “ his status as mayor facilitated the sale and building permitwith a financial interest manifest and committed offenses. » The alleged acts committed on January 20, 2017 and from May 21, 2015 to July 5, 2019.
A substantial fine of up to one third of the profit to reduce the substantial added value estimated at less than 300,000 euros on the sale of land of 4688m2 is requested, i.e. 100,000 euros with theineligibility of the elected official for several years.
Absent from the hearing for health reasons, the file of Ms. Renault77 years old, mayor for 35 years, was pleaded by Master Bulard. “She would have liked to be there. She feels strongly about being pursued. »
General discouragement of elected officials
For the defense: “His fault is to be an owner in the municipality.” As for the illegal taking of interest: “Nothing is confirmed.”
The lawyer mentions the telling figures which testify to the discouragement of elected officials who are increasingly the subject of lawsuits which increased by 55% compared to the previous mandate,assaults and of damage which impact the municipal budget.
So much so that 30% of mayors elected in 2014 did not stand for re-election in 2020, not counting the municipal councilor seats left vacant.
Denounced by a deputy from a neighboring town
The elected official was initially denounced by the first deputy of a neighboring municipality for reasons other than those which led to her being prosecuted. A file brought to the prosecutor’s office by the DDT. For the defense, the elected official was the subject of a “ relentlessness “.
On a moral level, the illegal taking of interest is proven when “ someone uses and abuses their power » in personal interest.
It cannot therefore be attributed to the elected official who only did her duty as mayor for the good of her municipality, forced to expand in order to adapt to the strong land pressure because of its attractiveness to residents of the Paris region.
Helping municipalities expand and financing the work
Of the 6 subdivision building permits, only the subdivision in question, Saint Nicolas, was refused. “ Municipalities must be given room to maneuver » to be able to expand the municipality and finance the necessary works such as sewerage, fiber, management of mud runoff from agricultural land… without making the administrators bear it, underlines Maître Bulard.
Another argument put forward: the request for an expansion for the subdivision predates the municipal map voted in 2017 since the request was made on July 3, 2008. In addition, the project for the subdivision in question as well as the amending order were signed in the forms by delegation to the deputy mayorraises the lawyer to wipe away the first offense with a backhand.
School extension project
The map voted in 2017 was the subject of an order on September 2, 2018 for the plot located behind the school built in 2012 with a view to its extension in order to ensure a comfortable welcome for the 170 new schoolchildren per year. the arrival of families in the 6 housing estates. Land which belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Renault, seized for the symbolic euro.
As for the 2nd offense, all requests for building permits were made by the land purchasers and not by the mayor. In addition, the urban planning skills regarding the building permit were delegated to the DDT before 2015 as well as Vexin urban community who pre-checks the orders before delivering them to the mayor to sign.
However, no appeals or observations were observed on the building permits. “The offense cannot therefore be constituted.”
Concern for his community
“Ms. Renault is someone who cares about her community where she has lived for a long time. Their goal is to pass on their farm to their grandson by giving him agricultural land transformed into building land.»
A very pretty village street insists the lawyer who will welcome a doctor next year, which is rare enough and envied by other municipalities to be highlighted.
The court will make its judgment on December 12.
