Media Release: Yarriambiack endorses lease with Emerge
Published on 07 March 2025
Long daycare one step closer – Yarriambiack endorses lease with Emerge
Yarriambiack Shire Council has announced that at the close of business on 07 March 2025, it will relinquish its license to operate Kindergarten services in both Hopetoun and Beulah. Emerge Early Years Services (Emerge) will enter into a lease and service agreement for the next five years to provide kindergarten and long day care services from the Hopetoun Early Years building from 10 March 2025.
The draft Lease and Service Agreement was endorsed by Councillors at a Council Meeting held on 26 February.
The Beulah Kindergarten service operates from the Beulah Primary School, and a user agreement between Emerge and the Beulah Primary School will be required.
Following a resolution by Councillors on 24 July 2024, the Chief Executive Officer began the formal Community Engagement process to transfer the Hopetoun and Beulah Kindergarten Services to Emerge Early Years Services (Emerge). This decision aimed to address the closure of the long daycare centre in Hopetoun in April 2024.
Mayor Zanker stated, “Obtaining the licence approval is the first step in the process to reopen the childcare centre. Following this, Emerge will need to apply for the childcare subsidy and begin advertising for staff. These subsequent steps could not be initiated until the licence approval was secured”.
“The Council is collaborating closely with Emerge to facilitate the reopening of the long daycare service. We extend our sincere gratitude to the community for their patience as we have navigated this challenge”, stated Mayor Zanker.
Elicia Napoli, Chief Executive Officer or Emerge confirmed “We now plan to commence advertising to recruit staff for the long day care centre in Hopetoun. During the recruitment phase, we will also be applying for childcare subsidy funding to facilitate the operation of the childcare centre. If everything proceeds smoothly, we are optimistic that the long daycare centre could be opened by the middle of term two”.
END OF RELEASE
Cr Kylie Zanker