Funds set aside for new kindergarten

Half a million dollars will be allocated in Baw Baw Shire’s draft budget to cater for a new kindergarten and address increasing pressure.

With the pending closure of Bowen Park Kindergarten at the end of this year, council has agreed to include $500,000 in its draft budget papers to co-fund new kindergarten infrastructure.

A report to council last week said 52 kindergarten places will be lost with the closure of Bowen Park, which will place additional pressure on Warragul kindergartens.

It is also forecast that kindergartens at Trafalgar and Yarragon will be at capacity next year.

A report to council said over the past five years, there had been increasing pressure on kindergarten places as a result of growth in the shire.

Priorities for kindergarten infrastructure identified in council’s Municipal Early Years Infrastructure Plan were for new kindergartens in Drouin, Warragul and Trafalgar. The new kindergarten in Drouin was completed last year.

“The loss of places from Bowen Park Kindergarten means that the most immediate need for additional kindergarten infrastructure is in Warragul,” the report said.

Officers said the municipal early years infrastructure plan was being reviewed and would verify ongoing priories to meet growing demand across the shire.

Council’s current involvement in kindergartens is limited to management and administration of the central registration and enrolment scheme, and acting as landlord for eight kindergarten buildings.

Officers said there were several models available for funding new kindergarten infrastructure including fully funded by council, a private partnership ort partnership between state government and council.

The report said while Developer Contribution Levy funds may be available in the medium to long term for community facilities such as kindergartens, this money was unlikely to be available in time to address the immediate shortage.

Officers said there were several funding opportunities through the Department of Education and Training, that would require council to co-fund a project.

Cr Mikaela Power said council and the state government had already successfully combined to produce a new kindergarten at Drouin Primary School.

“Now we are at the point of looking at a different approach. What this recommendation does is puts aside money in our budget.

“Kindergartens are a really important part of our education. It comes down to us as a community to ensure it is available for those that need it,” she said.

Cr Danny Goss said kindergarten services were a core issue for council.

Cr Goss said Bowen Park kindergarten was currently full and closing at the end of this year so those 52 places had to have somewhere to go.

“We may need to provide money up front to build the infrastructure.

“There is pressure in Trafalgar and Yarragon. We don’t know how it is going to look but it would be negligent to not put anything away to fund it.

“We must put this money away because we have to do something when Bowen Park closes,” he said.

Cr Keith Cook said people were moving to this area to live so council had to be ahead of the game.

“It’s a large amount of money but we have to keep up with being in front,” he said.

Cr Peter Kostos said council was faced with the ramifications of Bowen Park closing and continued growth in Trafalgar and Yarragon.

“It’s very important we use that money to leverage extra funds. We have to make sure kindergarten places are there for families,” he said.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said it was up to council to “shape the growth” occurring in the shire and encourage people to still move to the area.