Overview
- The national audit court released a report urging tighter control of prices for local services such as water, waste, transport, school meals, and childcare.
- It says users were billed about €38 billion in 2024, yet fees often cover only a small share of real costs, with regional train tickets paying for about 16% of the service.
- Auditors found weak governance on fees, including decisions made without proper votes, long gaps between updates, and price lists that are hard to justify or understand.
- Named cases include dozens of different ski-lift prices in Méribel, unauthorized rebates at La Rochelle’s marina, and no yearly pricing review at the Bordeaux Opera.
- The court recommends annual votes on all fees, using the reference tax income to target discounts, and avoiding blanket free access such as Saint-Denis’s free school canteen.