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Barbezieux. Work on the Travelers area: why families refuse to leave

“We are not against leaving,” warns Sophie Feltain, one of the mothers in the camp, “but we need to be rehoused in Barbezieux or nearby. »And for good reason. “Our children go to school here. There are eight, in the six remaining families, to be registered with the Alouettes, Félix-Gaillard or Jacques-Prévert”, the primary level establishments in the city center. However, the only solution proposed by the Mixed Union for the Reception of Travelers (SMAGVC), which has the delegation of competence by the 4Bs, “is the Châteauneuf area and that is out of the question”.

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“First of all, because it’s too far away,” she believes, “I have a 6-year-old child who is just starting first grade, learning to read and write, who has all his friends here. I'm not going to change schools. Also, I have a 17 year old child, who has a chronic illness, who is monitored by the nurses at the medical home. A relationship of trust has been established between them, I don't want him to change caregivers, and he currently needs daily care. »

But that's not all. “In Châteauneuf, the vehicle area is very small. If we go there for four months this winter, our caravans will be thrown away,” she promises. An analysis that the competent authorities do not share; neither on the layout, nor on the distance, “because even if I am aware that it is not the best solution, admits the director of SMAGVC Luc Chabraud, it is the only one”.

Penalties per day of delay

And he takes up the entire genesis of this file: “The Barbezieux area is aging and this work was undertaken at the request of these families. They represent 180,000 euros of investments. We awarded the public contract during this school period, because in summer, businesses are closed. We warned two months in advance and studied all rehousing solutions. »

“And why not on the Plaisance esplanade? », asks Sophie Feltain. “Because it is not possible for four months,” warns André Meuraillon, the mayor of Barbezieux, the town that owns the site. “We have contracts with driving schools on the use of the parking lot, with numerous associations for the rental of the room and exteriors, we cannot denounce these contracts,” he assures, specifying all the more that the municipality helped the 4Bs but that this goes beyond its skills.

At 4B, Isabelle Lagarde, vice-president in charge of housing, but also president of Aaisc, an integration association which supports travelers, laments: “We were really keen to find a solution, We looked for temporary land but this required developments of 70,000 euros, in addition to the nearly 50,000 euros that we are investing in renovating the area. That's not possible. We therefore offered to take full responsibility for the school transport of these children for the duration of the work between Châteauneuf and Barbezieux. »

“Our children go to school here. »

“Out of the question,” warn Sophie Feltain and Virginia Feltain, another mother in the area. “My little one is 3 years old,” she continues, “he’s just starting to stop crying to go to school, there’s no way he’s going to go with a stranger. And then it's up to me to take him but now it's too far. » “And mine,” continues the first, “can’t eat in the canteen, what do I do? »

No solution seems to be emerging. However, warns the director of SMAGVC, we will have to find things quickly “because each day of delay in the work costs us penalties and canceling them would be an economic disaster”.

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