Support actions for participation by local authorities have been strengthened. Bianchi: “Fundamental investment. Let's not leave the municipalities alone "
Local meetings, a task force of experts made available by the Cohesion Agency, dedicated seminars and help desks: the strengthening of technical and information support to local authorities is underway to ensure their greater participation in the public notice on nursery schools. "We must ensure - declares Minister Patrizio Bianchi - that all resources are used, guaranteeing an increase in services for the age group from 0 to 2 years, especially in the areas where they are most lacking".
For nurseries, at the end of the deadline initially envisaged by the tender, requests for approximately 1,2 billion were received out of a total of 2,4 billion available. The Plan also makes 600 million available for the 3-5 year range. For preschools and kindergartens (the latter also include 0-2), 1.223 applications were received at the end of the call, for over 2,1 billion. To allow the use of all the resources for the nests, the terms have been reopened until next March 31st. But not only. The Ministry, in conjunction with the Minister for the South and Territorial Cohesion and with the Minister for Equal Opportunities and the Family, has foreseen interventions in support of the Municipalities to ensure the widest participation and support from a technical point of view the territories in all stages of the application.
Specifically, territorial meetings will be organized with the involvement of the Prefectures and the participation of the Ministry of Education and the school building task force of the Agency for Territorial Cohesion. The same task force will offer technical support to municipalities with a coverage of services dedicated to the 0-2 year range far below the European target of 33%.
The support will aim to stimulate participation and to accompany the technical offices in preparing the application. The territories will also have webinars organized in coordination with ANCI, the Association of Italian Municipalities, at their disposal. The first was already held on 10 March and involved the Municipalities of the Regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Sicily and the Provinces of Prato and Trieste, which had not registered applications by 28 February last. Furthermore, the dedicated telephone service, the mail service, faqs and clarifications are confirmed, as well as specific formats to guide the Municipalities in the application phases.
The action program is not limited to supporting municipalities in the formal procedures for joining the tender. The goal is to intercept all the territorial realities lacking in services and inform them of the opportunities available. For this reason, a communication campaign will start, with a TV commercial, to let the Municipalities know about the extension of the deadline of the Notice and a note will be sent to all the Municipalities that have not participated in the call to stimulate their adhesion.
“The PNRR is an opportunity for change for our country and requires collective action to achieve the objectives - adds Minister Patrizio Bianchi -. We immediately launched an action to support local authorities, which we decided to strengthen. Childcare services are a priority for our system, for combating educational poverty and building a society of equal opportunities ".