Budget includes funds for 15 hours of kinder
Neerim East residents have called for further maintenance on Neerim East Rd, citing poor condition of its gravel surface.
While grading works have been scheduled for the road north of Fraser Spur Rd later this month, residents Sandra and Ian Gunstone have called for further maintenance to the road.
Mr Gunstone said he had been forced to drive on the grass shoulder of the road to avoid pot holes in some sections of the road.
“I’m not asking for it to be sealed, just not to ride on a roller coaster,” he said.
Mr Gunstone said a section of the road was of particular concern, having worn through the bedrock down to its clay surface. “On a wet day that will get slippery,” he said. “One day there will be an accident, a person not knowing the road will hit that and go.”
Mrs Gunstone said she believed there had been roads scheduled for re-sheeting that had not needed it.
She claimed McCullough Rd in Neerim East had been re-sheeted three times, while Neerim East Rd had not been done once.
Baw Baw Shire Council acting director community assets Vishal Gupta said maintenance works, including grading, had been scheduled for later this month following a recent inspection.
“Grading works are undertaken on a programmed basis once an assessment has been made to determine the condition of the road,” he said.
“The condition of the road is being monitored and further remedial works will be undertaken if required.”
Roads in Baw Baw Shire are maintained in accordance with Council’s Road Management Plan (RMP).
The plan sets out council’s obligations for managing all road assets, including inspection regimes, maintenance and repairs.
Kindergarten students next year will continue to have access to 15 hours of funded pre-school each week. But beyond 2018, the uncertainty remains.
After months of giving no indication of its commitment to funding, the federal government announced funding in last week’s budget that will allow the current arrangements for kindergarten programs to continue.
Under a new agreement for early childhood education, Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent said more than 3000 children in McMillan would reap the benefits of the additional $3.9m funding.
“We’re focused on ensuring children in McMillan and across Australia have the best possible start to their education.
“We know that a quality preschool education is essential for laying the foundations for successful learning, including transition to fulltime school and future school success.
“That’s why we’re delivering $3.9m for the 3117 pre schoolers in McMillan.
“Our commitment means certainty that all children in the year before school will continue to have access to 15 hours 0of pre school a week (600 hours a year) in 2018,” he said.
Mr Broadbent said combined with the landmark child care reforms passed through Parliament earlier this year, this announcement
would make child care and early learning more affordable and accessible for Australian families.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said extension of the agreement would for proper discussions with the states and territories on how they could fairly guarantee at least 15 hours of preschool beyond that, given the very different models of preschool delivery that apply from one state to another.
Baw Baw Shire Council and local government groups have been lobbying and calling on the federal government to make a commitment for months.
Under current arrangements, the federal government funds five hours per week, with the state funding 10 hours of the operational costs.
The announcement is a relief to families who were facing additional childcare costs of up to $2000 a year to cover the lost five hours a week.
The Municipal Association of Victoria welcomed last week’s funding commitment but said it was concerned about the long-term future of the partnership funding arrangement.
The MAV strongly believes there needs to be a longer-term funding arrangement to provide councils, kinder staff and families with real certainty and stability.
“While it is a great relief that kindergarten will be funded for another year by the federal government, teachers and families need certainty that 15 hours will continue beyond year-to-year funding promises,” MAV president Cr Mary Lalios said.
“We would like to see this funding allocated recurrently, so we don’t continue to face this difficult scenario each year and so kinders can properly plan for the future.
“Our children’s education is too important to keep facing such uncertainty.”