Simon Babre details state support for local elected officials
At the Salon des Communes du Var, Prefect Simon Babre detailed state support for local elected officials.
Simon Babre, prefect of Var, delivered a speech with grave and mobilizing tones on October 9 in Draguignan, during the department's mayors' convention. After praising the commitment of local elected officials, the State representative drew up a balance sheet of his services' actions before outlining a demanding roadmap for the future, in the face of "major projects".
The prefect recalled the strength of the partnership between the State and the municipalities, backed by figures. Since 2018, 2,371 projects have been supported with €417.8 million in subsidies, generating a total volume of €1.83 billion in works.
A reinforced and transparent partnership
“€1 of subsidy granted contributes to funding €4.38 of eligible work”, he emphasized, highlighting a considerable leverage effect. To strengthen this support, new tools have been deployed, such as the bi-monthly newsletter Plein Var and a local engineering guide.
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Simon Babre particularly emphasized the launch of an unprecedented online platform, suivi-subventions.fr, which offers complete transparency on allocated aid. An initiative intended "out of a concern for transparency, but also to help everyone take courage in terms of projects". He also congratulated the mayors of the eight new municipalities awarded the "Villages d'avenir" label last July.
Looking back at the Gros Bessillon fire
The devastating Gros Bessillon fire, which marked the summer, occupied a central place in the State representative's speech. The prefect recalled the scale of the disaster: an active fire for 28 days, from July 21 to August 18, mobilizing 11,000 firefighters and leaving a heavy toll of 5,576 burnt hectares and 41 destroyed homes.
The "cost of the burnt area" was evaluated at 141 million euros. In response, emergency coordination helped save assets estimated at €825 million. Commending the commitment of firefighters, law enforcement, volunteers, and elected officials, the prefect detailed the State's response, which committed 12.2 million euros to the operational framework. Exceptional support measures followed, including €1.6 million in aid for affected farmers and derogative eligibility of municipalities for the Solidarity Endowment for Climate Events (DSEC).
Security and health: the other fronts
On the security front, the fight against drug trafficking was highlighted. Thanks to new laws, the prefect was able to take firm measures: 144 appearance bans issued against traffickers, including in villages like Barjols or Cogolin, 28 rental eviction requests, and 33 driver's license suspensions for drug use or trafficking. He stressed the "complementarity between the State, internal security forces, and municipal police" as a condition for effectiveness.
In terms of health, Var shows notable progress with 28 France Santé certified facilities, 100% coverage by territorial professional health communities (CPTS), and the upcoming arrival of 39 junior doctors to reinforce areas with low medical density.
Major projects for a resilient Var
The prefect hammered home the urgency of adapting to climate change, describing Var as a particularly exposed territory.
“The summer we have just experienced corresponds to an Earth at +1.6°C. Forecast models [...] predict an increase of +4.5°C in Var,” he warned.
He called for rethinking land planning to prevent fires and accelerating the implementation of Flood Prevention Action Plans (PAPI). Other major challenges were cited: support for local agriculture through short supply chains for collective catering, better waste management where the department is lagging significantly behind, and finally, economic development linked to the defense industry.
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The André Jubelin roadmap, with its 35 actions, must guide this effort, which also involves addressing the housing crisis to attract and retain talent.
"Var needs France and France needs Var," concluded Simon Babre.
Photos Philippe OLIVIER.