Economy and employment : lack of means and a top-priority for a mayor

A fact has just illustrated, once again, the narowness of influence from local represen-tatives on economical issues. After the closure of Angers Technicolor, suspicions about the viability of the Ardoisières d'Angers and rumors of relocation abroad of a call center, another major company of Angers, ThyssenKrupp Ascenseurs France, has been affected by the cut of seven jobs out of 153 all over France. If the number looks low in comparison with the total loss recently decided by the group and with the number of employees in Angers region, it should trigger reflections about the ways to strengthen the economic make-up because, the lift manufacture gives jobs to hundred of persons in Angers and so should be followed as a "key account".

The recent statements of some of the candidates to the next municipal elections make clear that none of them

considers he has the power and the resources to act in place of managers. Frédéric Béatse, as well as Christophe Béchu (the other candidates like Jean-Luc Rotureau didn't express until now an opinion about such a topic) made clear that the mayor had no influence on employment. But both of them admit that a mayor is in charge of the economic competitiveness of his area.


According to Mr. Béatse, Angers must work on the quality of life because it is a useful asset to attract com-panies and talented per-sons (transport facilities, cooperation between education, research and industrry in some key-fields like the vegetable and the electronic). On the other side, Mr. Béchu thinks that, through their policy, "public representatives are not without influence about the ways companies are attracted and hosted". But if both of them are eager to enhance the economic performance of Angers, it could be useful to entrust to somebody a mission regarding economic development inside the next Angers city council. Until now, no one was in charge.