“Establish a multi-year investment plan until 2030 allows us in particular to integrate into our projections the realization of the hopper under the railway line (at the exit of the Pont neuf) and the resumption of the swimming pool ice rink de Mercières by the ARC.”
The elected officials of the agglomeration of the Compiègne region have voted for a Multi-annual Investment Plan 2024-2030.
In February 2022, the Agglomeration adopted PPI for the period 2022-2026, for the main budget and the development budget. By June 2023, the PPI had extended to fiscal year 2027.
Swimming pool, hopper, cycle paths…
The extension of the PPI aims in particular to:
- integrate the work on the Mercières swimming pool-rink (€15M) and the hopper (€16M excluding VAT, 2028 value). The hopper is the passage under the railway line which connects Compiègne to Margny, near the Pont Neuf. the Agglo wants to expand it. Concerning the municipal skating rink of Compiègne, it is planned that it will become a facility of the Agglo
- continue the operation of the Multimodal Exchange Center and the station district
- extend the cycle path development policy
- continue the built or unbuilt land reserve policy,
- continue the policy of supporting investment by member municipalities through the payment of assistance funds.
“An execution rate of 70%”
The investment expenditure planned in the PPI for the next six years must reach an execution rate of 70%, for an annual average of 16.4 million euros (M€), including 1M€ of reserve per year.
Expenditures against which there are revenues (competition funds) of €3M on average per year including: €2M participation in the Transport budget in 2025, 2026 and 2027 for the Multimodal Exchange Hub, €1M per year for the municipal assistance fund (maintained until 2030).
As well as investment income:
- FCTVA (€1.5 million per year),
- subsidies (Europe, State, Region, Department): €2.6M expected on average,
- consumption of working capital (€1.5 million from 2025 to 2026 and €2.8 million in 2028).
A provisional plan for the developments
The 2024-2030 PPI of the Development budget also includes the start of the operation to enter the heart of the urban area at rue du Maréchal Leclerc in Venette.
The ARC forecasts a substantial investment volume of €14.4 million on average each year until 2030.
The main budget will contribute to financing the operations planned for the Development PPI to the tune of €2M each year.
The planning of the PPI Development, as it is presented, would require a loan of €2.5 million in 2025, €2.8 million in 2026, €2.9 million in 2027, €3.0 million in 2028 and 1 .3 M€ in 2029.
In this hypothesis, the outstanding debt would reach €2.6 million as of 12/31/2030, i.e. a level equivalent to the outstanding debt as of 12/31/2020.
“We took into account the measures of the finance bill which was not voted on, out of prudence,” indicates Philippe Marini. We do not know what the future will bring, regarding the reduction in funding for local authorities and the budgetary comings and goings. This plan incorporates margins of caution and makes it possible to continue and carry out the work on the ice pool and the hopper which did not appear in the previous PPI.
The opponent Daniel Leca adheres
“We are committed to the next two mandates for the long term,” notes Compiégnois Daniel Leca. Supporter of the PPI from the start, the opponent believes that the tool allows a “prospective vision”. “We are subject to hazards,” he said. The more we remove taxes, the more we are subject to subsidies. I note the upcoming increase in the outstanding debt which will double. Which remains reasonable. In any case, this makes it possible to take into account calendar constraints. The future of the station area depends on the goodwill of the SNCF, a forecast for 2030 is more reasonable. Likewise, integrating the hopper is a good thing. This PPI allows us to see how the envelopes are broken down at the scale of the Agglomeration.”
Benjamin Oury, vice-president in charge of town planning, underlines, beyond the €16M of investments per year, that “the number of operations is increasing, with new ones. This shows our continuity. All this with constant debt repayment and with low participation from the main budget. This is the expression of sound management.”
“2030 is short term,” concludes Philippe Marini. It is not a distant horizon. It’s concrete and realistic. The first year is today. We should have done this exercise earlier.”
Two abstentions: “It’s a plan of electoral promises for 2026”
Emmanuelle Guillaume-Monnery and Étienne Diot, from the opposition, abstained. “Moving this multi-year investment plan until 2030 is pure communication. It is a plan of electoral promises for 2026. 6 months ago, this plan was postponed to 2027. It changes every 6 months because the agglomeration is not able to present reasonable projects. Nor to concentrate on the general interest and the essential. It’s a catalog. There are major projects that should have been started in 2020. The swimming pool and the hopper are now promised in 6 years! For those who believe it…”
Besides this, delusional and non-priority projects are being pursued, consider the abstainers. “€6M for the Tiger in very fragile financial health, €2M for a conference center at the Aiguisy farm, potentially competing with the Tiger… A project which is for the pleasure of Philippe Marini rather than the general interest. Just like the 5 million euros for the stud farm by 2030.”
“One year before the elections, in a context of tense public finances for communities and the country, this plan is a major electoral communication,” believes Etienne Diot. These are announcements, communications. How can we explain that we will be able to invest 28 million euros in 2028 when we plan to invest 13 million in 2025? What matters for Philippe Marini is the visual and the photo at the expense of the ARC taxpayer. Spending €120,000 to move 10 m and light the Joan of Arc statue facing the Solferino Bridge, is that reasonable?”
