Local Government Public Service Provision in France: Diversification of Management Patterns and Decentralisation Reforms

Abstract

Decentralisation reforms have dramatically changed the distribution of tasks between the central government and the various local government levels. These reforms made social services the responsibility of departments, with the participation of municipalities, whereas most economic public services are under municipal and regional control. Changes in the utilities sector are more due to sector legislation than to local government reforms. Outsourcing by concessionary contracts awarded by local governments has been usual in France for a long time for the provision of economic public services, under local government control, in particular on physical assets of the service. Recent legislation gives more opportunity to local governments to shift utilities to local public sector corporations. The EU directive on concessionary contracts will require only minor adjustments in French law.