Only 241 member municipalities in a year and a half, for a total of 1.4 million meals served to 18,000 students. This is the assessment of the “Canteen at 1 euro” device, drawn up at the beginning of May by the Interministerial Delegation for the Prevention and the Fight against Poverty (DIPLPEJ). This state aid to municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants aims to make school catering in primary school more accessible to the poorest families. But it struggled to be adopted by the mayors, in particular because of the health crisis which led to the closure of schools and reception restrictions in canteens. But also because 39% of the mayors of the municipalities concerned do not even know the existence of this aid, according to an Ipsos survey carried out for the DIPLPEJ.
However, the need is crying in the rural world, where "there are more poor families than before the crisis", notes Jean-Paul Carteret, mayor (PS) of Lavoncourt (Haute-Saône), 350 inhabitants, and 2nd vice-president of the Association of rural mayors of France (AMRF).
Only 1 in 10 municipalities with less than 1000 inhabitants have recourse to social pricing, while this is the case for 75% of cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants.
Three times more eligible municipalities
So, to restore the appetite of rural mayors, the public authorities have decided to work extra hard on this device.
Concretely, the municipalities are invited to set up at least three contribution brackets, depending on the income or the quotient of the Family Allowance Fund (CAF), with at least a rate less than or equal to 1 euro.
On this tranche, the State then abounds to the tune of 3 euros since January 1 instead of 2 euros.
And, since April 1, the number of municipalities eligible for the device has increased from 4,000 to 12,000. "And to reassure the mayors, the State is now committed to three years", specifies Marine Jeantet, interministerial delegate for prevention and the fight against poverty.
Read alsoSchools: the government wants to extend free breakfasts and the canteen to 1 euro
New methods arrived at the right time for the town of Ducey-les-Chéris (Manche) and its some 2,800 inhabitants.
“We were working on setting up progressive pricing for the start of the September school year when we learned that we were eligible for this device,” explains Anne Glénat, social affairs assistant.
Previously billed to families 3.60 euros - for an estimated cost of more than 7 euros - the meal will now cost them 1 euro, 1.80 euro or 2.60 euros, depending on their income.
"It will allow children who did not eat in the canteen because the ticket was too expensive to benefit from a balanced meal", welcomes the elected.
A positive impact on town hall finances
The existence of this aid, Mickaël Kerneis, mayor (SE) of Rosnoën (Finistère), also knew it "a little by chance, during a meeting of elected officials". But he quickly decided to take the plunge, because "everyone wins," he explains, with supporting figures. In his town of barely 1,000 souls, the old price list included five brackets of 2.45 euros to 3.50 euros. From now on, the most modest families, belonging to the first bracket, pay 1 euro and the State abounds with 3 euros. "We are even beneficiaries compared to the old system, because the town has a recipe of 4 euros for each of these meals instead of 2.45 euros", welcomes the mayor who explains that the "canteen at 1 euro" concerns 24 of the 87 children who eat lunch at school.
A policy of solidarity that has positive impacts for the finances of these fragile rural communities and, above all, for children. “It is very beneficial for them at the nutritional, social and educational level, because when we eat well, we learn better, analyzes Marine Jeantet. The mayors must seize this device, the ball is in their court. Everything is now being played out to be ready for the start of the school year in September.
