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A little history |
| Intermunicipality in La Rochelle's conurbation
goes way back. An experience shared for more than 35 years by towns
that chose to "join hands" in the service of all. As the local authority
went through successive changes in status and gradually took other
towns into its fold, its focus also shifted from intermunicipal solidarity
to that due to its most vulnerable citizens. For today, its scope
of responsibility, too, has broadened to include social policy. |
- In the beginning
was the Sivom
An intermunicipal board known as the Sivom ( Syndicat Intercommunal
à Vocation Multiple) was created in 1964 by 9 towns:
La Rochelle, Aytré, Périgny, St-Rogatien, Puilboreau, Lagord,
Châtellaillon-Plage, Angoulins-sur-Mer and L'Houmeau.
They assumed shared management of various services that would
have been difficult for one town to set up alone: transport, waste
management, wastewater treatment and drinking water supply.
- Then the
CdV :
A major first in France, La Rochelle's conurbation broke
new ground in the country by pioneering this experiment in intermunicipal
partnership, revolving around the TPU (Taxe Professionnelle
Unique). Revenues from this single business tax levied on
companies were pooled to go towards projects and responsibilities
affecting the entire conurbation.
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Then on 31 December 1992, the towns
in the former Sivom created the CDV (Communauté
de Villes). This new Urban Community was joined a year
later by Nieul-sur-Mer, St-Xandre, La Jarne, Dompierre-sur-Mer,
Salles-sur-Mer and St-Vivien. |
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Three other towns entered the partnership
in December 1997 - Esnandes, Marsilly and Ste-Soulle - raising
the total to 18 member towns. |
- With the
new millennium, the CDA
In January 2000, the CDV became the CDA (Communauté d'Agglomération),
in compliance with the provisions of the "Chevènement" Law of
12 July 1999 on intermunicipality. The shift in status was virtually
seamless, since it changed very little in the towns' respective
representation or the funding and organisation of work already
initiated by the CDV. However, the new conurbation-wide local
authority was granted broader powers, now encompassing social
issues such as Urban Policy and Social Balance in Housing.
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