It is a village of 1,234 inhabitants, located north of Châteauroux. The small town of Vineuil will soon have its own public micro-crèche. The call for tenders phase begins in May, the construction site must start in September, to one open in September 2025. The municipality has been working on the project for two years. The structure is located in the premises of the old dojo, unused since the club closed in 2022. It will offer 12 places.
A young and slightly increasing population
If the mayor of Vineuil, Bernard Bachellerie, wants to open this crèche, it is first and foremost to meet a need of the population. “We are in a relatively young municipality (…) we have 30% of the population who are under 15 years old, and a population which is increasing” explains the elected official. Other important data: Vineuil has 46 children under 3 years old, according to data from the Family Allowance Fund. Either “a quarter of the children in the community of communes in the Levroux region” specifies Bernard Bachellerie. A sign of this dynamic; last year an additional class was created in the town.
At a time when a majority of municipalities are losing residents in Indre, Vineuil is one of the exceptions. But for how much longer? “It’s clear that this nursery is also a bet on the future, because the population will inevitably age. In addition, the famous Climate and Resilience law will weigh us down a little over time since things will be seriously restricted in terms of building zones.e” admits the chosen one.
A lack of childminders
The construction of a crèche in Vineuil responds not only to population dynamics, but also to the lack of childminders. Their number is decreasing in Indre. “The last childminders, who do their job perfectly, are starting to age. And we know that there is no replacement so if we want to keep our workforce and our children this is the solution. Otherwise the children will go, as soon as the parents find a nanny elsewhere, Déols or Châteauroux for example, we will no longer see them in the town” explains Bernard Bachellerie.
Choosing a public establishment
The project is estimated at more than 400,000 euros excluding taxes, financed in part by the Family Allowance Fund, by the Department, and by the Region. It will remain 20% payable by the municipality, or more than 80,000 euros excluding taxes, according to the mayor. The micro-crèche will be managed by the Vineuil town hall, or by the intermunicipality if it agrees to take over its management. Bernard Bachellerie chose not to entrust the establishment to the private sector, despite a proposal. He explains: “it is certain that a private crèche, the person who manages it needs to make its operation profitable, so, at the end, the price for the parents was not at all identical“.
