A recent council meeting in Alès sparked debate over budget transparency and public accountability, with opposition councilor Alexandre Belair criticizing mayor Christophe Rivenq's responses.
Councilor criticizes mayor's transparency
Alexandre Belair, a councilor from the opposition group Rassemblés pour Alès, criticized mayor Christophe Rivenq for not answering his questions about the situation at the roundabout in the Cévennes neighborhood. Belair said Rivenq avoided the subject and did not provide clear answers, despite asking for explanations, figures, and documents.Unpaid invoices and budget breakdowns
Belair used the example of 120,000 euros in unpaid invoices discussed in the finance committee to highlight what he called the lack of transparency. He pointed out that while it was stated that 90 percent of these funds were intended for water, no detailed breakdown was provided, even though the money was public. He also raised concerns about the "opacity" of expenses and decisions made by the majority.Supplementary budget and civil servant pay
Belair also questioned the 300,000 euros allocated to the supplementary budget for the annual municipal payroll. He noted that half of this was intended for death insurance, and the rest for increases in a civil servant's index and grades that had not been previously planned. He suggested that these decisions lacked clarity and proper justification.Mayor defends his approach
Christophe Rivenq defended his approach, stating that he always provides the requested documents and accused Belair of "political agitation." He claimed he had answered all questions and suggested that Belair should "listen better." Rivenq also said there was no obligation to debate issues outside the agenda, adding, "We are not going to talk about security in the morning, at noon, and in the evening."Calls for investment and committee meetings
Belair called for more investment in the daily life and streets of Alès, such as weeding, arguing that without investment, the city would decline. He also expressed regret over the lack of meetings for various municipal committees, apart from those with citizens and the press, notably the works committee, which he said represented hundreds of thousands of euros or more.Mayor justifies meeting frequency
Rivenq justified the frequency of committee meetings, stating that they meet when the council's decisions concern them. He noted that the votes had mainly focused on urban planning and finances, so it was logical that these committees had met three times each, and not necessarily the others.
