The subdelegate of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas, has visited the old municipal schools of As Somozas that thanks to the funds of the Just Transition agreement will be recovered for social housing and municipal facilities.
In total four schools located in the parishes of Enchousas, Somozas, Seixas and Recemel, some of them in a state of notable deterioration and that thanks to these funds of almost one million euros can be completely rehabilitated
The subdelegate, accompanied by Mayor Juan Alonso Tembras, visited some of these schools, such as the Kabbalah school to check the situation of the property. The recovery of these buildings, as explained by the mayor himself to the deputy delegate, was an old neighborhood demand no longer only to meet the social needs of vulnerable people but also because of the emotional bond that neighbors and neighbors join them. These are old schools, some of them abandoned, in which part of the population of As Somozas studied.
Two of these schools, such as those of Echousas and Recemel, will be completely remodelled to transform them into fully equipped social housing that will accommodate families in need. Others like those of Somozas and Seixas will experience an energy efficiency rehabilitation and will be destined for different social uses.
After the provisional resolution approved a few days ago by the Fair Transition Institute, As Somozas will have 971,824.35 euros, an amount that, as stressed by the subdelegate, means “an extra income with which the City Council will be able to carry out this project of remodeling these four schools, an important social and also emotional heritage for the neighbors and neighbors of As Somozas”.
The deputy delegate of the Government has highlighted the commitment of the Government of Pedro Sánchez with the municipalities that will be affected by the closure of the As Pontes plant and has assured “that the commitments of this Government do not remain in words or in papers are fulfilled, they materialize as the neighbors of As Somozas can verify”
After the provisional resolution, a period will be opened for the municipalities to submit claims and it is planned that, approximately, in the month of March, the municipalities will already be able to dispose of the funds awarded.
In addition to As Somozas, the funds of the Just Transition agreement will reach 11 other municipalities in the province affected by the closures of the As Pontes and Meirama power plants. Cabanas, Ferrol, Cerdido, Mañón, Moeche, San Sadurniño, Ortigueira, As Somozas, Monfero, Cerceda, Ordes and Tordoia are other municipalities benefiting from this aid, totalling 11.5 million euros.
The government subdelegate stressed the importance of many of these projects being carried out in demographically challenging municipalities such as As Somozas. One of the objectives of these funds is to attract population to these municipalities that in recent years have suffered a decrease in the number of inhabitants.
The Institute for the Just Transition is preparing a new call for grants for these municipalities with 25 million euros more at available.To this new call the municipalities will be able to present projects focused on leisure and tourism, with proposals for the recovery of green spaces and heritage.
They will also be able to apply for grants to create spaces that encourage business activity and entrepreneurship, and even to increase the public rental housing stock at reduced prices to attract people.
This aid will reward the hiring of people registered on the Fair Transition Institute’s job boards with the aim of promoting the creation of priority employment for workers affected by the closure of the power plants. Likewise, the creation of jobs for women, young people, people over 45 years of age and people with disabilities will be rewarded.
For the allocation of aid, the environmental and social benefits of the projects, their employability, their tractive effect on the territory, their innovation and their location in municipalities affected by depopulation, the demographic challenge and the closure of power plants have been assessed.