Our Mayor’s yearly speech – 2026

Ladies and Gentlemen, Elected Representatives,

Presidents of Associations,

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Fellow Citizens,

It is with great pleasure and deep gratitude that I stand before you today to celebrate the New Year. I am delighted to see you all again for this moment which brings us together each year and allows us to look towards the future as one. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your presence.

This ceremony is always a special occasion for bringing together residents, elected representatives and municipal staff.

I extend my very best wishes for the year ahead: my wishes for a happy new year, good health, and success in all your projects, for you, your families, your businesses, your shops, and for the entire community.

Nadine, our secretary, sincerely regrets not being able to be with us today for health reasons and sends you her warmest wishes.

My thoughts are also with all those who passed away this year, and I wish a speedy recovery to all those who are ill.

The forthcoming deadline in a few weeks’ time is a decisive event for the life of our municipality. I cannot, of course, elaborate on this matter, but I can express my hope for a democratic moment, marked by mutual respect, allowing everyone to express themselves and to engage in debate. You should be aware of an important change following new regulations for upcoming elections in municipalities of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants: parity is now required within the council; complete lists are compulsory; it is no longer possible to cross out or combine candidates. The list must be placed in the ballot box in its entirety without any alterations, otherwise the ballot will be declared invalid.

The municipal team remains fully committed to its duties, and we intend to pursue our work with the same determination until the end of our term of office.

I wish to express my gratitude to all members of the municipal council and to the local stakeholders present today. Their commitment, energy and dedication to serving the population are a true collective asset, essential to the public interest.

I also extend my thanks to the associations in our municipality, whose work plays a vital role in the life of our community.

It is always a pleasure to gather for this New Year’s ceremony. In a community like ours, we know one another, we meet every day, and we share much more than a territory: we share a history, traditions, solidarity and a way of life that reflects who we are.

I warmly thank the volunteers, farmers, shopkeepers, tradespeople, teachers, municipal staff and all those who, through their commitment, help maintain a lively and friendly local community.

As we all know, the past few years have been difficult and restrictive, and their consequences are still felt in our daily lives. The economic and social challenges we face are increasingly significant, compounded by international conflicts. Nevertheless, we must retain an optimistic outlook in order to move our municipality forward while serving our fellow citizens. It is in this spirit that we have continued our work, responded to needs, and launched new projects.

Allow me now, Ladies and Gentlemen, to give you an overview of our situation, our upcoming challenges and our hopes for better days ahead.

The year that has just ended was not without difficulty, but once again it demonstrated the strength of our village.

We have seen projects progress, sometimes slowly, but always with determination:

• the maintenance of our rural roads,

• work on municipal buildings,

• the gradual modernisation of our facilities,

• and, of course, all the initiatives carried out by our associations, which keep our municipality vibrant on a daily basis.

Our municipality may be modest, but it is not lacking in ambition. Whatever the composition of the next council, several essential projects will have to continue:

• improving the quality of local public services,

• monitoring the maintenance of our roads,

• supporting our associations and cultural initiatives,

• assisting families and older residents,

• enhancing our natural and architectural heritage, which defines the beauty and identity of our area.

Since 2023, sorting guidelines have been extended: almost all of your waste can now be recycled. And if, as required since 1 January 2024, you separate organic waste, there is practically nothing left in your household rubbish bag. Regarding organic waste, you may bring it to the communal composter if you do not have a garden. You may also give your waste to domestic animals, yours or your neighbours’. This helps reduce the volume of organic matter and facilitates the operation of the composter. However, I note that plastic bags continue to be placed in the composter, which we must remove for it to function properly. Information claiming that such bags are biodegradable is incorrect; these bags must be emptied and placed in the recycling bin.

On 1 January 2026, the actual counting of black-bag deposits began. You have received a guide from the Community of Municipalities: the allowance for each household is 24 deposits per year, and if you require additional use of the service, a charge of €1.50 per extra deposit will apply. This seems reasonable, given that across the Community of Municipalities the average is 14 deposits. I remind you that this incentive-based fee is a legal obligation imposed by the State.

As every year, we have carried out maintenance of our buildings and public spaces. If we wish to preserve our heritage for future generations, we must take care of it. As last year, exceptional weather conditions led to unusually rapid grass growth, forcing us to mow and clear vegetation much more frequently than usual. Consequently, not all the planned improvement works in the village centre could be completed.

Our municipal employee, Maxime, was involved in a serious road accident at the beginning of August, which significantly affected the completion of certain projects. Nevertheless, we found someone who was able to maintain the cemeteries and village surroundings during October and November.

Construction work on the hangar planned for the water tower site will finally be carried out this year. This facility will meet the needs of small businesses seeking premises and will also serve local associations requiring storage space.

The renovation of the communal washhouse (Lavoir) has been completed. What remains is to landscape the surrounding area by adding soil and sowing grass.

At Bernac Church, the mechanism for swinging the bell, as well as the yoke and clapper, which were badly worn, had to be replaced. The estimated cost was €5,000. Despite what was announced at the last New Year’s ceremony, an unexpected VAT refund made it possible to carry out the work.

At Loubès Church, the company responsible for maintaining the bell tower, during its annual inspection, prescribed urgent safety works on the bell. The last major intervention dated back over 15 years, apart from the control panel replaced around ten years ago.

In 2024, we chose to join the OPAH-RU scheme: a five-year Programme for Housing Improvement and Urban Renewal. This scheme supports both owner-occupiers and landlords in the centre of Loubès in renovating their properties, focusing primarily on energy efficiency and improvements linked to personal needs (walk-in showers, removal of steps, stairlifts, etc.). A technician will assess each project and determine the level of financial assistance available according to the work involved and your income. If you agree, they will prepare the applications and oversee the works free of charge. Due to a lack of State funding in 2025, projects could not be carried out; we are currently awaiting the adoption of the national budget so the programme can resume. For properties elsewhere in the municipality, other assistance schemes are already available. In both cases, information can be obtained at the town hall.

Our rural multi-service centre (Our village shop), open for one year now, is proving entirely satisfactory. I encourage you to make use of this essential local service, even if only to stop by for a coffee.

We are still seeking suitable locations for installing flexible fire-water reserves and, where possible, identifying accessible natural water reserves. For several years now, the law has required a usable water source for fire services within 400 metres of every dwelling by road.

We are part of the inter-municipal educational grouping of Loubès-Bernac, Soumensac and Saint-Jean-de-Duras. As I mentioned last year, the municipal council of Soumensac decided to transfer its class to our school. Following this, an initial study was carried out but was not retained, and we developed a new, far more economical project. We currently have 24 nursery pupils taught by a teacher whose pedagogical and human qualities are beyond question.

Our financial indicators are sound and our management is healthy. The cornerstone of any public policy is a community’s ability to finance its investments. This can only be achieved by strictly controlling operating costs — which is increasingly difficult, as new regulations and obligations are added every year. At our scale, investing means enhancing our area, making it more attractive, protecting our environment and preserving our quality of life. Behind each project and each solution lies a vision that I strive to uphold and share with you: that of an attractive and welcoming community.

I do not advance alone, and I thank my deputies for their daily work and all the municipal councillors for their sense of responsibility. I also thank all our staff, technical and administrative alike, for the quality of their work. They are the backbone of our decisions, and I am proud to be surrounded by a competent and committed team serving the people of Loubès.

The municipal team is at your service and at your disposal; do not hesitate to meet us by arranging an appointment at the town hall.

Many familiar faces are present today: long-standing residents, dedicated contributors to community life, association volunteers active in sport, culture, events and leisure, parents of pupils, tradespeople and shopkeepers, and young people we have watched grow up here. We are always delighted to welcome new families — each of you has your place here. In Loubès-Bernac, we are all links in the same chain, advancing together in the interests of the common good and solidarity.

To each of you, I propose that we act as though failure were impossible. May 2026 see the fulfilment of all your hopes and endeavours. Together, let us wish that care for others, listening and dialogue will always prevail over indifference.

A new year now begins, even though 2025 seems to have flown by with so much to accomplish. With our councillors and municipal staff, we have acted for the residents and for the future of our municipality, always guided by the common good, social bonds and solidarity, so that no one is left behind.

I extend my warmest thanks and best wishes to those whose professions are to educate, to care, to assist, to listen and to integrate. My thanks also go to business leaders, shopkeepers, tradespeople and the farmers of our municipality, whose energy brings vitality to our territory.

On behalf of the entire municipal team, I wish you a year filled with health, serenity and success. May 2026 be a year of projects, encounters and shared moments. May our municipality remain what it has always been: a living, welcoming and deeply human village. Together, we will continue to build a better future for our community.

Thank you for your attention and for your commitment.