Central Coast Council has unanimously voted to continue to provide childcare services after considering a confidential report at last night’s Council Meeting.
Endorsing a management recommendation, Council resolved that it would, “continue to own and operate the Ulverstone Childcare Centre and its four outside School Hours Care services, in the existing facilities at their existing locations” and “develop a policy position for the delivery of childcare services and a 3-year Business Plan that addresses childcare related pricing and investment and informs the 2025-26 budget”.
In April 2024, Council advised staff, families and the media that it would be considering its future role in the delivery of childcare and would make a formal decision on the matter in September this year.
Central Coast Mayor, Cr Cheryl Fuller, said that the review was appropriate and very useful.
“Key questions Council needed to answer were whether or not a new or additional childcare centre was needed in Central Coast, and if so, whether Council or the private sector was best placed to deliver that investment,” said Mayor Fuller.
“There is very strong evidence to suggest that the private sector is already in the process of providing additional childcare places in Central Coast and will continue to do so. Under these circumstances and given how much the community values our childcare services, it makes sense that we continue to operate our existing services but leave expansion and the development of new childcare centres, to others,” said Mayor Fuller.
CEO, Barry Omundson said that while Council had decided not to invest in a new childcare centre – which would have cost in the order of $10m – Council acknowledged the need to upgrade the Ulverstone Childcare Centre.
“Our staff provide an exceptional service but do so in an outdated building. Now that the review is complete, management’s focus is on developing a business plan that provides for improvements to the Ulverstone Childcare Centre and will help ensure we continue to run a modern, first-class childcare service. The business plan will be developed in time to inform the next annual budget, so that we can get on with it,” he said.
Council’s Director Strategic Growth, Daryl Connelly, thanked staff and families for the way they approached the review.
“While Council was always going to prioritise job security and quality of care in the event that we looked to transfer the service to a different provider, I understand why the review led to concern and uncertainty for staff and families. I appreciate the respectful and constructive way that everybody participated in the process, and I am thrilled that we are now in a position to plan for some improvements at the Ulverstone Childcare Centre,” said Mr Connelly.