Illustration of work in a school in Marseille -

Mathilde Ceilles / 20 Minutes

  • Friday, during the city council, the city of Marseille votes to rehabilitate five GEEP schools, for a total cost of 85 million euros.

  • But while the city's debt is particularly high, Benoît Payan is counting on the support of Emmanuel Macron to finance this work.

  • A meeting with the President of the Republic will be organized so that the government invests several hundred million euros in Marseille schools.

What to do with the 32 GEEP schools in Marseille, these particularly dilapidated, even dangerous schools, attended by hundreds of schoolchildren?

After years of controversy over the dilapidation of schools, the former mayor LR Jean-Claude Gaudin had first considered razing them and having them rebuilt.

But the public-private partnership set up for the occasion canceled by the administrative court, the question remained in abeyance.

Finally, the new majority opts for rehabilitation, starting with five of them in the northern districts, whose work is voted on Friday at the city council.

“This is a complete rehabilitation, explains Pierre-Marie Ganozzi, assistant in charge of the school plan.

We are going to remove the asbestos sheets, debon the structure, make them waterproof and fire resistant, which was not the case now, and then rebuild.

We have the ambition to do something new with old.

"

85 million euros

A complex project that costs a trifle of 85 million euros for only five school groups.

Also, for this first round of renovation, the new majority, which will also vote its first budget on Friday, constrained by a colossal debt, is counting, to carry out this flagship project, on the help ... of Emmanuel Macron.

The socialist mayor Benoît Payan indeed wishes to have this work in schools financed by the State.

.

"We chose these five GEEPs in relation to the financing constraints of the government's stimulus plan," explains Pierre-Marie Ganozzi.

Before the end of April, a turnkey project had to be proposed in order to be able to finance it, with the

sine qua non

condition

 that these schools are located in the Anru zone.

"

Funding "90% by the State"

A few weeks ago, a meeting was organized at the Elysee Palace between the city councilor and the President of the Republic, without any formal commitment from the government.

"For these five schools, I am hopeful that this funding will be 90% provided by the State," says Pierre-Marie Ganozzi.

What about other GEEP schools, whose dangerousness worries parents of students?

“We would like to launch the renovation of a second round fairly quickly, promises Pierre-Marie Ganozzi, without putting forward a schedule.

In the meantime, we are implementing a strategy to improve the safety of children, by increasing the number of sensors or fire alarms in all the rooms.

"

"We sold dreams"

"This is a first hook, but it is not enough compared to the expectations of Marseillais, annoys Catherine Pila, LR leader in the city council.

These are scoops, once again.

We sold the dream to a certain audience, but nothing changes.

Nothing changes.

During the campaign, the Marseille Spring had indeed promised the investment of one billion euros in all of Marseille's 470 schools in a plan for schools set up as a supreme priority.

“We are in the process of finalizing it, tempers Pierre-Marie Ganozzi.

We have some adjustments to make with the area mayors, and it will be proposed within a few weeks.

However, the funding of this work in schools remains to be determined.

Here again, on this subject which has become highly controversial, the town hall of Marseille is awaiting a colossal financial investment from the State.

"We are returning with Benoît Payan to see the President of the Republic at the beginning of May," warns Pierre-Marie Ganozzi.

If he allows us to finance 600 million, that will be perfect.

If we only have 100 million, we will be unhappy ... "

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  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Marseilles

  • Works

  • school

  • public school

  • Benoît Payan