UPDATE
Hobsons Bay council has been accused of waiting until after the October 22 local government election to close up to three Altona kindergartens.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors rejected their officers’ recommendation to consolidate the Altona, Altona West and Somers Parade kindergarten services to a new $6.9 million early years hub to be built on the Altona P-9 College site.
Instead, it resolved to include the kindergarten committees, as well as Seaholme Kindergarten, in a working group to develop concept plans for the new hub and “recommend the appropriate level of service consolidation to meet projected needs of the community”.
It resolved to review the concept plan by 2017.
The council received $1.6 million in state government funding towards the new hub, which will be operational in 2019.
Staff at the three kindergartens were told last November the centres would be closed and services moved to the new hub.
An officers’ report to council stated that while the community preferred the retention and upgrade of the existing kindergartens, “the level of current and future demand for four stand-alone facilities in this precinct is not operationally sustainable”.
Former mayor Tony Briffa labelled the council’s decision a “stay of execution” for the three council-owned kindergartens in Altona.
“All it did was ensure the future of the early years hub and delay a decision about the existing kindergartens until after the council elections this year,” Briffa said.
“It was a decision based on getting councillors re-elected rather than saving valued community facilities.
“Why else would councillors commit to spending over $5 million of ratepayers’ money for a hub and include representatives from the kindergartens in the hub working group?”
Altona West on shaky ground
One source told Star Weekly Altona West Kindergarten, situated closest to Altona P-9 College, was already slated for closure.
Hobsons Bay CEO Chris Eddy did not confirm or deny the claim, but said the continued operation of the kindergarten in 2017 was a matter for the committee of management.
“With low levels of enrolment, financial viability is a challenge for a stand-alone single-room kindergarten such as Altona West,” he said.
Altona Community Action Group spokesman Aaron Hunt said while parents were pleased that a total wipeout of the three kindergartens had been avoided, they would be watching the council’s actions closely after the election.
“I think potentially the upcoming council election may be a factor,” he said.
“I think the greater majority of our councillors are striving to do the right thing and to listen to the community, but obviously our position is that we’ll continue to hold them account for that up to and including beyond the election, should they be returned.”
Mayor Peter Hemphill said the new hub would provide maternal and child health services, long day care, a kindergarten and space for play groups and community meetings.
It is likely to include early intervention services, such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists.
“The hub will be similar to the award-winning Newport Gardens Early Years Centre and will provide families with a first class facility with services from birth to school age,” Cr Hemphill said.
“It will accommodate future demand for early years services and not compromise jobs or kindergarten places.”
