Preschool may lose funding

Walshingham Preschool at Pretty Beach may lose funding from the Department of Community Services to build a new community pre-school at Killcare Heights if Gosford council cannot resolve the issue of where to locate it.

The Department of Community Services granted $300 000 in July 2002 for a new multi-purpose child care centre to be built on Maitland Bay Dve, Killcare Heights, on land donated by Gosford Council.

Gosford Council has not approved the change of zoning to build the centre as neither Council nor the pre-school can pay for associated roadworks.

The preschool will celebrate its 15th year of operations out of the church in High View Rd, Pretty Beach, later this year, in what was originally meant to be a temporary location.

Preschool director Kim Chippendale said she met with the Department of Community Services recently, as the expiry date to use their funds has already lapsed.

"It's getting pretty desperate. We need to find a solution."

Ms Chippendale praised the work or Cr Laurie Maher and Cr Terri Latella who have taken on the community preschool's cause, both asking questions without notice at recent council meetings, urging Council staff to act quickly to save the proposed funding.

"We need Council to come to the party. We were originally told this land would be good and it has already cost us a lot of money to apply to have the land rezoned.

"We've looked. There's no other land we could use. Otherwise the preschool will have to move away and it will no longer be a community preschool.

"It is the main feeder to Pretty Beach Primary School and if we moved that could mean kids might go to other primary schools and have a big impact on the community.

The preschool caters for 30 children per day and employs four staff.

The Director of Environmental Planning, Ms Louise Gee, will investigate the issue and advise councillors by the end of May.

Alison Branley, Kellie Stokes, May 13