Council Calls on Political Candidates To Fund Childcare Centre for Crystal Brook
The Port Pirie Regional Council’s State Election Platform (released in July 2021) highlighted investigations that Council was jointly funding with the Community to establish the demand for, and operational arrangements of, a Child Care Centre in Crystal Brook.
The community was telling Council that a local facility will assist the (re)entry of mums and dads into the workforce and also reduce travel times for those already accessing services elsewhere.
DJMIR (Early Childhood Education & Care, Workplace Relations & Regulatory Compliance Specialists) were engaged to undertake the study and work with the community based Crystal Brook Child Care Working Group, to establish the need and identify locations, costings and a governance model for its operations.
Mayor Stephens said “Representatives of the Working Group presented the final report to Council at our meeting held 24 November where it received Council’s full support. The assessed demand demonstrates that there is a financially viable option for an early learning centre for up to 50 children aged from birth to 5 years and a flexible space for up to 20 Out of School Hours Care places.”.
The report also estimates that it will cost in the order of $1.1m including contingencies and excluding purchase of land to build a facility.
Spokesperson for the Crystal Brook Child Care Working Group Mrs Tamara Wilson was part of a delegation that presented the consultant’s report to Council, said “This report clearly sets out the need for a child care facility to service families in and around Crystal Brook. We look forward to working with the Council to determine the most appropriate location and seek financial support to build the facility. Our next step is to engage the Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North Board to undertake some modelling of the primary and secondary economic benefits. This will tell us the jobs that would be filled by locals currently unable to enter the workforce, the actual jobs for the conduct of the service and the “knock on” benefits the service will bring to the local community.”.
Council and the Working Group will be providing the report and economic modelling to candidates for the seat of Stuart in the upcoming election to consider as part of an election commitment to the local community.
Mayor Stephens thanked the members of the Working Group for their work to date. “Without their contributions and hard work this project would not have got to the point where we can demonstrate the need and take the matter of funding to the State Election” he said.