The Telegraph Point Children’s Centre closed to the community on June 23.
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The centre had about 20 children enrolled and also catered as an out of school hours (OOSH) facility and vacation care centre.
In December 2016 the current business owner Jennifer Worthing (under the company Jaiwood Pty) did not renew a lease with the Department of Education for the land on which the childcare business resides. She said she has decided not to continue with another five year lease.
The lease between the Department of Education and the Jaaiwood Pty expired on June 23.
A spokesperson for the department said it is not able to re-tender the service until the current provider has confirmed their intentions with regard to the building, which is their property.
“The service provider did not exercise the option to renew its lease under the terms of the contract, but asked for the lease to be transferred to a new provider,” he said.
“Any new preschool service on the school site would need to be tendered, as required, under government procurement guidelines.”
Opposition spokesperson for Early Childhood Education Kate Washington said parents had been let down by the Early Childhood Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams.
“A regional preschool should not close on the Minister’s watch,” she said. “I have met with affected families and the current operator in an effort to see the doors remain open”
Ms Washington said the operator and families have been doing all that they can to ensure continuity of the service but the department has knocked everything back.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams said claims she has not met with either the owner of the centre or parents of children attending the preschool are untrue.
Mrs Williams said she met with the owner and three parents on April 13 and then wrote to the Minister for Early Childhood Education to seek clarification on the concerns raised. On May 17 Mrs Williams said her office arranged for a further meeting with parents and representatives from the Department of Education to discuss future options for a preschool service in Telegraph Point.
Mrs Williams said Ms Washington’s claim the Department of Education has ‘knocked everything back’ is also untrue.
“To date no individual, organisation or service provider has made any contact with the local Director of Schools to indicate an interest in a preschool service,” she said.
Mrs Williams said it is disappointing but not surprising Ms Washington has chosen to play politics on something as important as the welfare and education of children.