City of Greater Shepparton councillors voted at the August council meeting to close the occasional care services at the facility permanently.
The occasional care service had not been operating since March 2023 after flood damage and disruption because of floods in October 2022, followed by further damage from a storm five months later.
The service was also closed because of declining use of the creche, as well as the deployment of staff to council’s long day care services that support working families.
In June 2015, 84 people were using the creche, with an average of 19 children a day using the service.
In October 2019, there were 55 active users, with an average daily attendance of 11 children.
A month before the suspension of the service — in February 2023 — there were 44 active users, with an average attendance of seven children a day.
Two staff members would have to be on duty at all times to meet legislative requirements.
Since 2015-16, the annual cost to council to deliver the occasional care service has ranged from $49,000 — when services were suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions — to $87,000.
At the council meeting, Cr Fern Summer wanted to postpone the permanent closure of the facility until public consultation was undertaken, but was defeated in a motion to do so.
She said the money needed to keep the service running was “a small drop in the bucket”.
Cr Anthony Brophy said that while you never wanted to see a service discontinued, it sometimes depended on factors such as the declining patronage, which then meant there was less income to keep the service going.
He also said that with a shortage of qualified early years staff across the municipality, councillors had to look at how the community could best be serviced with the staff members there were.
Cr Sam Spinks said while she thought creches were great, council was coming up against the problems of the larger sector being able to provide childcare.
“We need to make sure the services are benefiting our kids,” she said.
“Our reality is it’s been closed for two years and we would be taking staff already in (other) childcare for this service.
“Every childcare worker is essential right now.
“We need to make sure they are where they are of best benefit to the community.”
She also pointed out that Aquamoves had implemented “family-friendly” classes that allowed children to be in the room with their parents while they exercised.
Seven councillors voted to close the service, with Cr Summer and Cr Steven Threlfall voting against it.
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