Fabienne Manguy presented to the municipal council on April 10, 2024 an evaluation of the municipal social action center, which she now co-chairs with Anne Girault; the president is necessarily the mayor of the village. “Since 2021, there has been an increase in the number of people welcomed, especially those who come to the beaches without an appointment and those to whom agents travel due to mobility or isolation problems. It also happens that these visits are for people who have not contacted CCAS but who we think need them. We are also seeing an increase in visits to CCAS offices that are not associated with requests for help but rather with the need to listen and exchange. We have also proposed a new reception time without an appointment, on Wednesday mornings. »
“We prioritize the quality of the welcome over the occupancy rate”
There is also an increase in requests for so-called optional assistance, which mostly concerns the payment of the utility bill. “We also manage a certain number of emergency accommodation where we tolerate a longer stay than required by 115. We avoid incompatibility and prioritize quality of reception over occupancy. »
In Melle, CCAS also manages emergency accommodation for asylum seekers (Huda). “Since our inception in 2016, we have welcomed more than 200 people, introduced by Anne Girault. In 2023, 27 people found refuge there. They are victims of persecution, war, violence and human rights violations. There are new nationalities like Tibet, Georgia or Venezuela. They are married men with children, but they come alone. They are between 24 and 45 years old. » The elected official noticed a deterioration in their condition. “People are coming in with mental distress, but increasingly they are also in physical distress. You often have to go to the hospital for examinations, sometimes with operations that require nursing care and medical beds. Income becomes more complex. » Another problem is the deadlines set by the state, which no longer allow CCAS to prepare migrants to submit a file that is not in their language. “We could imagine sports and cultural activities for them in Melle, but that is no longer the case. We have to move quickly and can only provide social and health support. » Despite this, CCAS carried out work between them to raise awareness of energy costs and achieve a reduction of €1,500, despite the price increase.
Growing budget and passenger tracking
The municipality, the main financier, votes for an increase of 15,000 euros compared to last year.
Regarding the Travelers, Mayor Sylvain Griffault provides some clarification and comments: “The department plan for the Travelers was not signed because we refused to allow it to be signed. For two and a half years we have been working with the community of municipalities, the Ministry, the CCAS of Niort and the State to say that we want to directly support Travelers present in the territory of Mellois. We are being asked to sign the opposite, a system that has shown its ineffectiveness. So we are waiting for the proposal that integrates the CCAS from Melle as a social worker for travelers from Mellois in Poitou, which we have included in the budget. »