The Regional Council of the Franche-Comté in its present form came into being in 1982, following on the laws for decentralization. Its field of action increases as the State progressively hands over responsibilities.
Birth of franc-comtoise autonomy
1956 : Creation of a "Region of the Franche-Comté" which includes the departments of the Doubs, the Jura, the Haute-Saône and the Territory of Belfort within the framework of a regional action programme.
1960 : A Franche-Comté constituency of regional action is created as part of the process of harmonization of national administration.
1964 : The State appoints its regional administrators Creation of a Prefecture, a Regional Administrative Conference (CAR), and a Commission for Regional Economic Development (CODER).
1972 : The Regional Action Constituency becomes a Public Regional Institution (EPR) composed of a deliberative assembly, the Regional Council, and an advisory assembly, the Economic and Social Committee, whose domain of influence continues to be limited by state control.
1982 : The Prefect, Commissioner of the Republic for the Franche-Comté Region, assigns power of decision to the President of the Council (Edgard Faure) in application of the law of 2nd March 1982. The Regional Headquarters is established in Besançon and the State relinquishes its supervisory authority over its acts and decisions, inspection concerning legality being carried out a posteriori. The Franche-Comté, now invested with full powers, becomes a territorial government body existing in its own right.
1983 : First implementations in the domain of apprenticeship and vocational training.
1986 : First regional elections based on direct universal suffrage, according to a system of proportional representation. The Region takes over the direction of the Lycées (secondary schools) as well as the organisation and planning of vocational training.
1993 : The Region is charged with the vocational training of all young people under 26 years of age.
2002 : Increased responsibility in the area of vocational training and apprenticeship training. The Regional Council now ensures the administration of transport of travellers within the Franche-Comté. The Region is now the official organizer of transport.
2003 : The Region acquires the status of Territorial Governing body in the Constitution.
August 13th 2004 : The Council is assigned new responsibilities, notably concerning training in the fields of health and social work and administration of the maintenance workers in secondary school establishments.
History of the Presidencies
1st President : Edgar Faure (1982-1988)
2nd President : Pierre Chantelat (1988-1998)
3rd President : Jean-François Humbert (1998-2004)
4th President : Raymond Forni (2004-2010)
Historical foundations
In 1982, the Regional Council acquires the "Hôtel de Grammont" in Besançon in which it establishes its administrative headquarters. The building was erected in 1722 and has undergone minute restoration to give it its original aspect. In 1989 and 1990 a considerable number of Gallo-roman remains were discovered during the construction of an underground car park. A discovery of vital importance for the interpretation of religious and architectural aspects of the centre of the antique capital of the Sequanes. Some of the foundations remain on view to the public in the underground archives of the Hotel de Region.
