Monbulk’s Sandy Koelewyn and Christie Sproat with their kids, Thijs and Harrison, are furious that the local kinder has been left without a home. 28120
By Tania Martin
MONBULK youngsters have been left out in the cold after the town’s community centre was closed for demolition.
The town’s kindergarten, previously held in the community centre, was due to relocate to St George’s Church in Main Street but the kids are still waiting for that to happen.
Parents have accused the Shire of Yarra Ranges of not taking the relocation seriously.
But the council says it’s just as frustrated as the parents with the process.
The three-year-olds were due to start kindergarten at the beginning of last month, but they still don’t have anywhere to go.
In June last year the kindergarten committee applied for a permit to temporarily relocate down the road.
Mother Christie Sproat said this was supposed to be a temporary solution while the new Monbulk hub was being built.
Ms Sproat said the council had failed to get the permit organised in time for the start of the school year.
The council had to apply to the Department of Early Education and Development to get approval to move the kinder program.
But Ms Sproat believes the council has not taken the relocation seriously and had failed to submit the paperwork on time.
“So the relocation has been heavily delayed,” she said.
Sandy Koelewyn also blames the council for the delay. She said with the paperwork still pending, the children had not been able to start kinder and there was no starting date in sight.
“The council has known about the need for a permit to relocate since the start of 2008,” Ms Koelewyn said.
But shire manager of children’s services Brendan Ball said the council shared many of the parents’ frustrations.
Mr Ball said the hold-up had been the result of delays in receiving the necessary information to apply for the permit.
“The relocation has required a two staged approval process similar to a completely new service,” he said
“There are very rigorous licensing requirements that must be met prior to receiving final approval.”
Mr Ball said these included submitting detailed floor plans, health and safety risk assessments and undertaking playground and minor building improvements.
Ms Sproat said it was difficult to explain to a three-year-old the reason kinder had not started.
She said the kids were asking every day, ‘can I go to kinder?’.
“It’s frustrating and disappointing for both the parents and children,” she said.
Ms Sproat said getting the permit should have been a top priority for the council.
“It’s been seven months since the initial application … we are disappointed that our council has not prioritised the next generation of children beginning early education,” she said.
Mr Ball said the shire was hoping to get final approval this week.
“A final inspection is due to be undertaken on Thursday by the department and we hope it will result in the thumbs up,” Mr Ball said.
