The National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT), too "
far from the field
" according to a recent senatorial report, will benefit from additional human resources in the prefectures, announced Wednesday to AFP the Minister in charge of Territorial Collectivities, Dominique Faure.
Created in January 2020, the ANCT merges the General Commission for Territorial Equality (CGET), the Digital Agency and the Public Establishment for the Development and Restructuring of Commercial and Craft Spaces (Epareca).
Facilitate local projects
It aims to facilitate local development projects, particularly in terms of energy transition or the renovation of city centers through programs such as "
Action heart of the city
".
A senatorial report published Thursday pointed to a broad ignorance of the agency and its programs among local elected officials, and a lack of involvement by certain prefects, who are nevertheless responsible for representing the agency in the regions.
"
In three years, with covid, confinements and the complexity of the merger of three entities, we have programs that have acquired significant notoriety and readability
," explained Minister Dominique Faure to AFP, while acknowledging that there remained a "
certain number of areas for improvement
".
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To respond to the recommendations of senators and "
bring the agency closer to elected officials
", the number of local delegates to the prefects will be "
doubled
", where there was sometimes no agent to assist the prefects in their new tasks.
Use of experts
The prefects will also have the task, from 2024, of commissioning the experts themselves, previously chosen by the ANCT in Paris, for "
tailor-
made" engineering missions in order to better meet the needs of the communities.
In its report, the Senate had indeed criticized a significant use of private consulting firms, with the key to standardized expert reports.
To raise awareness of the ANCT, “
local engineering forums
” bringing together mayors, prefects and experts will also be organized regularly in each department by June.
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Finally, the ministers and the two new leaders of the Agency, Stanislas Bourron and Christophe Bouillon, will carry out a “
tour of France of the regions
” to meet the elected officials and discuss with them their support needs.
