"A political tribunal": why the mayor of Cavalaire will not attend the meeting of the Bay Conservation Committee

"I will not attend this meeting." Absent from the recent general meetings of this Cavalairois association, the mayor of Cavalaire Philippe Leonelli confirms this definitive choice.

Even wound up like a cuckoo at the title of the AGM which will take place this Tuesday, August 5: less than a year before the municipal elections, the association intends to question the candidates on their electoral programs.

For the chief magistrate, the neutrality preached by President Henri Bonhomme does not exist. "This is a meeting that is against the municipality," protests Philippe Leonelli. "We never do anything right, that's enough, I've never seen a meeting like this. We should be talking about the association; he only talks about politics. Two years ago, Mr. Bonhomme even brought in the representative of Anticor (an anti-corruption association)."

Running for office would allow the mayor to defend his point of view, he was told. "It's no longer possible. I did it until 2020. It was already a tough sell. I was convinced in 2021, I didn't want to go: I told the entire assembly what I thought of him and what I no longer wanted to participate in. As long as he's there, I won't come again!" the elected official asserts.

Master of his own schedule, the mayor has not yet announced his candidacy: the time will come for "the electoral campaign which serves to meet people, to exchange ideas with them and to implement them together. Eight months before the elections, no sane person can have drawn up an electoral programme which holds water" , defends the outgoing mayor.

Tensions surrounding construction and the PLU

What legitimacy does Mr. Bonhomme have to challenge the candidates, Philippe Leonelli pretends to wonder. "Beyond that, it's the general meeting of an association, it's not a political platform. This association makes sense, but since he decided to oppose me, it's been systematic; he only highlights the issues he wants to address."

Among the areas of tension is the future of the Villa Provençale : "I'm fighting to keep it a hotel, but he doesn't believe me. He's suing us over it. The new buyer wants to turn it into a hotel," the mayor reaffirms.

Many criticisms directed at the municipality, but nothing against the land sellers, castigates Philippe Leonelli

Other issues are straining relations: " He's attacking us on the Flots Bleus, Alpazur. It's at a standstill. People complain that it's a nuisance, it's thanks to Mr. Bonhomme. Today, everything is blocked instead of finding solutions. These buildings exist, I didn't have them built. We worked with the state services. Or the state tells us: we'll compensate and destroy. Otherwise, why stop them from renovating?"

Around the school district, "we are creating a perimeter with the Little Prince area where we will need more places for schools, the nursery and facilities to connect with the city center. He should not be against it...", observes Philippe Leonelli.

Bay Conservation Committee meeting, this Tuesday, August 5, starting at 9 a.m. in the community hall. Report to be found in an upcoming edition of Var-matin with Henri Bonhomme's reaction.