Live in rural France? Know what your communaut茅s de communes does
They are also known as 'Les Com-coms'
Com coms can be responsible for waste management
Krzysztof Pazdalski/Shutterstock
The communaut茅 de communes is an essential part of life in France. It is a local authority structure that you are sure to have noticed if you live here, even if the concept is not always clear to Anglophones.
In speech, it is often abbreviated to 鈥楥om-com鈥� and, according to the EU鈥檚 terminology management system, IATE, the best translation is a 鈥榗ommunity of municipalities鈥�.
In basic terms, a Com-com groups together council communities that are geographically close, similar to a district authority or an inter-municipal cooperation body.
How many are there?
A Com-com is a type of local authority known as an EPCI (茅tablissement public de coop茅ration communale) and they were first established in 1992.
Read more: Explained: The role of Mission Locales in France
At the last count, there were some 1,253 EPCIs in France, and this includes 21 尘茅迟谤辞辫辞濒别蝉, 14 urban communities, 229 conurbation communities and 989 communaut茅s de communes, each covering an average of 22,019 residents.
What do they do?
There are nearly 35,000 individual communes of all sizes across France, and grouping together smaller communities into Com-coms means that essential services can be organised more efficiently and cost-effectively.
According to article L5214-16 of French law, a Com-com can be responsible for:
- waste management: household waste, recycling, your local 诲茅肠丑猫迟别谤颈别
- water treatment: treating wastewater, providing drinking water
- waterways: flood prevention, managing local streams and rivers
- street lighting in certain public areas
- spatial planning to carry out actions of community interest
- economic development projects, including tourism
- providing spaces for les gens du voyage (itinerant communities).
A Com-com can also take responsibility for other actions at a local level, including:
- highway maintenance: clearing verges, maintaining road surfaces
- environmental protection and enhancement
- housing policy and urban policy
- renewable energies
- healthcare facilities
- cultural and sports facilities
- social action.
Essentially, the role of a Com-com concerns efficiency and solidarity. Thanks to this type of intercommunal cooperation, even isolated rural areas are able to develop local services, and to maintain and develop their heritage and amenities.
How are they funded?
A Com-com is funded by tax revenue (including business property tax, council tax and property tax), state grants, subsidies from the state and from local authorities (conseil g茅n茅ral and conseil r茅gional), contributions from the communes and income from certain assets; for example, renting out facilities or selling building plots.
Who runs them?
Generally, a Com-com has a board that comprises the chair (辫谤茅蝉颈诲别苍迟), the vice-chair (vice-辫谤茅蝉颈诲别苍迟) and other members, in particular mayors of the local communities, so that each municipality is represented.
The board meets regularly to discuss and work on projects that have been presented.
As well as the board members, a Com-com employs staff for a wide range of roles, from manual workers to administrative staff and strategic managers.
To get in touch with your local communaut茅 de communes, search the online where you will find contact details and opening times.
