Mayor's Message 30 August, 2024
Hello everyone,
It was another marathon Council meeting on Tuesday Night, with a huge agenda to work through and a large number of open forum questions from community members.
Open forum allows community members to submit questions to Council prior to the meeting, which are read out and answered by either myself, the CEO or relevant Director.
We had a considerable number of questions relating to an agenda item around the future occupancy of the Beechworth Early Years Facility at Mayday Hills. Given the high level of interest, I think it’s important to explain Council’s position.
Our current occupancy agreements with Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre (BCEYLC) and Beechworth Kindergarten to provide kindergarten and child care services at the Mayday Hills site, are due to expire at the end of August next year.
We’ve heard from our community that there is a critical need for more child care and kinder places in Beechworth and part of the process we’re undertaking is to ensure that the needs of the community are met.
As with the renewal of all our leases, we believe it is good practice to explore all opportunities to ensure the best possible outcomes for our community. This in no way means that we are looking at a different use for this site. The Mayday Hills facility is a space that is committed for child care and kinder and that will not change.
The EOI that we will be running is a transparent process and open to the entire sector, meaning any kinder or child care provider, or consortium with experience and certification can apply.
Both existing tenants have been kept informed of the process and our staff have also been in regular communications with the Department of Education.
To minimise any disruption and to ensure continuity of service in the interim, we’re extending the current occupancy agreements to December 2025 to allow time for alternative arrangements to be explored in the event that there are different providers of child care and kinder in the future.
At the end of the day, 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.
Further in today’s YOUR INDIGO, you can read more about some of the other decisions made on Tuesday night and as always, you can watch a recording of the meeting,
Take care and stay safe.
Cr Sophie Price.