11. Difficulties inherent in Spanc management

11.1 Spanc actions

In our view, a real problem lies in the delimitation of the prerogatives of the public sanitation inspection service and, in particular, the possibility for mayors to apply coercive measures.

The "official line", which can be seen in the various answers to questions from members of parliament who have asked many questions on this subject, is that there can be no confusion between the work of the public sanitation service and the administrative policing missions entrusted to the mayor, nor, a fortiori, with the investigation and recording of offences, which are judicial police operations.

This implies two things:

• it is not possible to use coercive measures to carry out...