After Bruno Le Maire and Emmanuel Macron in a turtleneck or Élisabeth Borne in a puffer jacket, another politician, the PS mayor of Creil (Oise), is adapting his clothes in the face of rising energy prices. Jean-Claude Villemain wore a balaclava and thick gloves as he greeted reporters Monday for a news conference.
This outfit was intended to “simulate and mock the members of the government we see landing in turtlenecks and down jackets,” he explains to BFMTV.com.
“Energy saving requires much more serious responses than a turtleneck sweater”, denounces the mayor of Creil.
“You won’t see me with a tie anymore”
The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, is precisely the first member of the Government who has mentioned this idea of better adapting his clothes to the temperatures, in order to lower the heating this winter.
“You will no longer see me with a tie but with a turtleneck. And I think it will be very good, it will allow us to save energy, show sobriety”, declared the minister on France Inter on September 27.
The Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, and the Minister for the Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, showed up in down jackets even before the end of September.
This Monday, it was Emmanuel Macron who appeared in front of the camera with a turtleneck, in a video for the launch of the website of the National Refoundation Council. The idea is clear: while the government recommends that the French not heat their homes above 19°C, ministers must lead by example.
More public lighting at night in Creil
But for the mayor of Creil, this policy of small gestures “is taking the French for six-week-old rabbits.” His municipality needs an additional 400,000 euros for the last months of the year to cover its energy needs, due to the rise in prices in the sector.
The Association of Small Towns of France estimates, in an informative report from the Senate published in July, that in some of its member municipalities energy expenditure has increased by 50%.
Therefore, Jean-Claude Villemain announced on Monday measures to reduce the bills of the city of Creil. Starting Friday night, public lighting will be switched off, for example, from 00:30 to 04:45 throughout the city. These schedules have been chosen based on those of the buses and the TER. Expect savings of a third of the costs for public lighting. The councilman does not perceive “additional difficulties” in terms of the safety of the inhabitants, noting that almost all the cameras in the city are infrared.
Access to the regulated rate
The mayor of Creil regrets that “the State does not make things easier” for cities that are trying to reduce their energy bill, in particular because of the complex administrative procedures. He would also like the municipalities to be able to access the regulated electricity rate. This rate is set by public authorities and offered by established providers, EDF and local distribution companies.
Currently, according to the energy code, only local authorities that employ less than ten people and whose annual turnover, income or total balance does not exceed 2 million euros can benefit from it. The informative report of the Senate published in July also proposes the restoration of access to the regulated electricity rate for all the communities that wish it.
“I am waiting for members of the government to take off their jackets and get down to work to help us in this quest for energy savings,” says Jean-Claude Villemain.
Source: BFM TV
