Debate around the mutualization of the Agglo relaunched for the first municipal council of Laurent Bruneau

The governance of the Agen Agglomeration is stirring up local political tensions. From contested mutualization to announced conciliation commission, the new mayor seeks balance in the face of a vigilant opposition.

At the first municipal council meeting led by Laurent Bruneau and his team on April 20th, there were sometimes sharp exchanges between the majority and the opposition. Many questions were raised, and recent contentious issues were reviewed. Topics included Agglo mutualization, indemnities for new elected officials, and budget orientation debates.

In an unprecedented move, the mayor of Agen is not the president of the Agglo. This has sparked reactions from both sides. Despite losing to Olivier Grima on April 9th, Laurent Bruneau reiterated his desire to negotiate a new administrative pact with the structure. “It’s neither regrettable nor an act of war against the Agglo,” he emphasized. “The fact that the mayor of Agen needs to ask for permission to hire, for instance, municipal police officers, is a problem!”

“Legitimate questioning”

Additionally, the mayor proposed the creation of a conciliation commission under the authority of the prefect, with Pierre Dupont, first deputy, and Naïma Lasmak, in charge of finances, as members.

According to Mohamed Fellah, former deputy to the finances and now an opposition councilor, beyond being a candidate for the Agglo presidency, it is primarily about a project that was voted on April 9th. “Revisiting the mutualization of Agen and the Agglo destabilizes the situation of our employees, with financial consequences exceeding €12 million during the mandate. Agen residents expect a different focus than mutualization.”

“With regards to mutualization, we find your questioning legitimate,” Clémence Brandolin-Robert, former first deputy, tempered towards the mayor. “But tackling it in the early weeks of the mandate? That’s not the choice we would have made.”

“It is necessary to take responsibility!”

Furthermore, a lack of visibility was noted in the budget orientation debate. “We are facing national crises that are threatening to our economic context,” stated Naïma Lasmak. “We must anticipate an increase in operating expenses, strengthen their control, and deal with local authorities under pressure, prioritizing investments and seeking external funding… The key challenge is financing these investments with reduced self-financing capacity. Additionally, loans in 2025 will burden the 2026-2032 mandate. As of December 31st last year, Agen’s debt stood at €42.1 million.”

“Two things heard tonight concern me,” Mohamed Fellah resumed. “First, you will not be able to work under the supervision of the Agglo, and secondly, there is no visibility.”

“These are your decisions, it’s your debt, it’s necessary to take responsibility!” retorted Armonie Barguès, in charge of the budget.

Among the proposed directions for budget orientation are the introduction of a free basic school kit for students in public schools, a commitment not to increase local taxes, providing meals for less than a euro at the school canteen in the upcoming school year, and offering free two-hour parking in the city center.

The next municipal council meeting will take place on April 27th and will focus on the preliminary budget of 2026.