It is a new revelation on what its opponents describe as a “Perdriau system”. The mayor of Saint-AndienneGaël Perdriau, already implicated in the affair of the intimate video at the origin of the blackmail on his former First Deputy Gilles Artigues, is suspected of having favored a company, without respecting the tender procedure, as part of the city’s cultural policy.
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According to information from franceinfo, this company is called “C’Kel Prod”. It is run by a couple close to Gaël Perdriau, proof of this is the support displayed by its director Marie Zambardi during the last municipal elections. It is a company specializing in the organization of shows.
The municipality notably called on her as part of the “Pass Loisirs Seniors” operation, which offers preferential rates for those over 62, with two disputed contracts. The organization of two shows for the 2020-2021 season at the Zénith de Saint-Andiennea concert by Serge Lama and a performance of the “Plus grand cabaret du monde”.
First anomaly: the market has been sliced up. There were two different deliberations in the municipal council for the same company, which is not usual. Then, the show “The biggest cabaret in the world” would have required a competition for its organization. Indeed, it was able to accommodate up to 900 people, with a budget of 41,964 euros excluding taxes. However, beyond 40,000 euros, competition is mandatory.
The deliberation, which franceinfo was able to consult, cites an article of the public procurement code to justify a call for competition, which is nevertheless compulsory. This article can be invoked in case of exclusive and unique creation. It would therefore have been necessary for the company C’Kel Prod to have created the show itself. In this case, this is not the case, this show is the creation of the animator Patrick Sébastien.
These facts are similar to those alleged against the mayor of Grenoble, Eric Piolle, who will be judged this Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27 in Valence, for suspicions of favoritism in the awarding of the organization of the Tile Festival to an association in 2015 and 2016, without competition.
In addition, the company C’Kel Prod is also singled out in a letter consulted by franceinfo, a letter from the left opposition group Saint-Etienne Demain addressed to Gaël Perdriau. The elected officials denounce in this letter the preferential rates granted to the company for the rental of another performance hall, the Le Panassa hall. It was rented for 1,600 euros including tax, whereas the rate that should have been applied was 2,000 euros including tax. A “irregularity” recognized by the municipality in its written response, which we also consulted. The culture assistant denies everything “privilege”evoking a “reading error (…) being regularized”.
These revelations are in addition to those on a “Perdriau system” at the town hall of Saint-Etienne denounced by elected opposition officials. After the intimate video blackmail affair, Ali Rasfi, elected opposition member, accused the mayor’s team of having filmed him during the municipal elections and for wanting to put pressure on him.