Report request for kindergartens

Baw Baw Shire's kindergarten landscape has seen significant changes over the past 18 months, prompting Cr Suzanne Allen to call for an updated report on the matter before committing to expenditure.

In April 2025, councillors adopted a conservative approach to address the immediate need for kindergarten infrastructure in Warragul, Drouin and Trafalgar, with a price tag of about $5.8m over 15 years.

At last month's council meeting, Cr Allen asked for a more measured approach to maintain what council already had, including reassessing proposed projects, maximising funding, avoiding long-term liabilities and having a clear plan before committing ratepayer funds.
"Since then (April 2025), the State Government have stepped up considerably. We now have state investment through Kinder on School Sites (KOSS) at Willow Grove, Burke Street in Warragul and Neerim South. A state run and state funded early learning and childcare centre in Drouin and state funding towards additional capacity at Chairo.
"Importantly, state policy has also changed, so councils are no longer required to take on the head lease for the new state delivered KOSS facilities - removing the associated capital maintenance and it's fit out burden," she said.
Cr Allen said the ongoing liabilities were one of the concerns identified in council's Early Years Infrastructure Plan.
"The demand picture has changed as well. Additional state investment has pushed out some of the projected shortages," explained Cr Allen.
Under the current recommendation, four proposed kinder projects represent about $4.5 million in council capital contributions, with the Warragul and Drouin proposals potentially adding another $100k a year in recurrent lease cost.
Before committing funds, Cr Allen said she wanted to see all alternatives exhausted, including further state investment, more KOSS opportunities, better use of existing capacity, external funding and partnerships with other providers.
"Because every dollar we commit here isn't available for roads, drainage, recreation, community facilities and the many other responsibilities our community expects council to deliver," Cr Allen said.
She also called for changes in service provision initiated by the State Government, fully funded by the State Government, such as the Best Start, Best Life reforms.
The Best Start, Best Life reform increases the hours children can attend kindergarten in the year before primary school, putting pressure on already strained kindergarten capacity.
She said the strain was expected to increase, with the projected growth of the 0-4 age bracket being 67 per cent, between 2021 and 2041 in Baw Baw.
Cr Danny Goss questioned whether it was council or State Government responsibility to provide educational services, and Cr Ben Lucas said it was evident of cost shifting from the State Government.