BEECHWORTH'S largest kindergarten running from Mayday Hill for the last 26 years stands to be ousted at the end of next year if a resolution cannot be found for the service to remain.
A revamp of leasing renewal by Indigo Shire Council gained approval at last week’s council meeting to seek Expressions of Interest (EOI) for a single tenant to offer childcare services, placing the Beechworth Kinder with its 60-year-old history in jeopardy of continuing.
Presently the site is occupied by Beechworth Kindergarten and Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre each having separate tenancy agreements.
Kinder committee executive team president Averil Halleur said the EOI was open to any service provider able to provide a successful childcare service to operate both kinder and childcare services.
“Our sessional kinder is not in the childcare space and while council would accept our submission, we have been advised it would be non-conforming and we would not be a genuine contender for the lease,” she said.
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Ms Halleur said there is also not sufficient time on the lease to relocate with its expiration at the end of next year.
“It would take a minimum of three years to relocate in securing a new site with certification and approval processes required by the Department of Education,” she said.
“It places us in a very difficult position and unless council overturned the decision to proceed with its existing proposal or can extend our lease, we will have to close.”
She said the kinder for three to four-year-olds had been unaware the EOI was on council’s meeting agenda, believing it had been approved
But word quickly spread, which saw the committee and parents filling the gallery at the meeting.
“We raised a number of questions read out collectively with no answers and an indication council would come back to us, and yet they still voted and approved the proposal,” Ms Halleur said.
Kinder committee member Liana Beatson said consultation had been lacking by council with the EOI process with a single tenancy.
“We don't feel like we have had a say and feel really disappointed at that lack of transparency,” she said.
Also the mother of two children attending the kinder where both she and her mother had attended, said as an educator, she considered sessional kinder is valuable.
“We have a fantastic program, our staff are amazing and with the number of enrolments we has indicated is sessional kindergarten is favourable yet council have just made this decision not taking that into account," she said.
Ms Halleur said options had been explored with Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre (BCEYLC) that offered both childcare and kinder service for three to four-year-olds, but had been insufficient common ground.
“Our families value a sessional program as it is what they want for their children and their school readiness preparation,” she said.
Parent Lara Lynch said three fabulous services are offered within the community.
“We are so lucky to have the choice to pick a service that aligns with our needs and values of our families, and they are all different,” she said.
Ms Lynch said the kinder is the largest early years provider of kinder within Beechworth with strong level of community support.
Beechworth’s (BCEYLC) president Lauren Malins said the door is open with council.
“We all want to work together to find a solution,” she said.
Mayor Sophie Price said the Expression of Interest is a transparent process open to the entire kinder and child care sector or consortium with experience and certification.
“We want to ensure this process delivers the best possible child care and kinder services for local families and the community for years to come,” she said.
