Philippe Leonelli: “A town is not run on excuses”

The political climate is growing tense in Cavalaire-sur-Mer. In a column, former mayor Philippe Leonelli, joined by the elected officials of his former team, reacted to statements from the new municipal majority concerning the structural Cœur de Ville and Port projects. Denouncing an “inaccurate and distorted” presentation of the facts, Philippe Leonelli notes that the new mayor seeks to “justify the lack of action by shifting responsibility” to his predecessors and urges him to deliver on his campaign promises.

He adds: “Residents do not differentiate between administrative time and real time. If our projects had not met with legal hostility, the Port file would already be finished and the Cœur de Ville one well underway. Our conviction was not to stop them one month before the start of the election campaign because in that case, we would have been subject to penalties from the companies that had won the tenders.”

The former mayor continues: “We had a vision for Cavalaire and that is no longer the case with the new team, which is projecting a narrowed vision that is not up to the standard of a seaside resort.”

CŒUR DE VILLE: DETAILED AND ASSUMED FINANCING At the heart of the tensions is the Cœur de Ville project, which the new municipality reportedly presents as unfunded. An assertion that Philippe Leonelli disputes point by point, recalling the financial structure that was established. According to him, the financing plan was solid and documented, relying on €17 million in self-financing planned for the end of 2025, €7 million in guaranteed FCTVA (Fonds de compensation pour la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée), and €3.3 million in participation from the Communauté de communes for the future Conservatoire de danse.

He details the subsidies already under discussion or planned: €600,000 from the Département for the cinema, €1.7 million from the DRAC for the Médiathèque, €300,000 from the CNC, as well as other aid for green spaces and the environmental quality of the project. A €21 million loan was in advanced discussions with the Banque des Territoires, and not the Banque de France “which is absolutely not authorized to lend to local authorities, which nevertheless shows how little control they have over the files”, tackles the former mayor.

Philippe Leonelli insists: “This plan was validated by the financial services of the municipality” and recalls an administrative reality: “Subsidies are never all secured from the start. They are also built up over time, as the files are put together.”

POLITICAL CHOICES WITH FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES Beyond the dispute over figures, the elected officials believe that the real issue is political. The new team was elected on a clear program: halting the Cœur de Ville and Ecobleu projects, as well as a 20% reduction in property tax. “These commitments constitute a political choice announced during the campaign and must be assumed and implemented,” it stresses.

However, it warns of the financial implications of such decisions: “Halting projects of this scale will inevitably lead to financial consequences: penalties, litigation risks, and heavy compensation.” The former team asks a direct question to the new majority, demanding transparency for citizens: “What will be the amount of compensation linked to stopping the projects? The Cavalairois have the right to know the financial reality of the decisions that affect them.”

THE PORT: THE URGENCY OF ACTING BEFORE THE SUMMER SEASON The Port project is also a source of concern. Philippe Leonelli's team refutes the new municipality's arguments about supposed pollution problems that would block the work. According to them, it is merely a “rubble storage issue, for which the project manager was served a formal notice”.

The former municipal team recalls the urgency of acting with the tourist season approaching, which is vital for the local economy. A €1 million subsidy allocated by the Cerema is moreover conditioned on the work starting before the end of 2025.

“Hiding behind constraints is not an excuse for doing nothing. Cavalairois, boaters, and business owners as well as holidaymakers expect results,” it warns.

A DEFENDED RECORD AND A CALL TO ACTION In conclusion, it reaffirms that it stands by its record and the projects undertaken, recalling that without third-party appeals, the Ecobleu and Cœur de Ville projects would already be completed or launched. It highlights the financial recovery of the municipality under its mandate, with a debt reduction period decreasing from 28 years in 2014 to less than 2 years in 2025.

Philippe Leonelli further regrets: “The new team is not announcing what it is going to do. During its last public meeting (on May 11), residents left with the impression of having learned nothing. Questioned about its projects, it kicks into touch.”

His message is intended as a call to the new majority to move from justifications to actions: “A town is not run on excuses. It is run with courage, truth, responsibility, and actions.”