West Torrens Council agrees to five-year leases on Kurralta Park, Glandore and Netley kindergartens
FOR months, the futures of three Adelaide kindergartens have been in doubt because of a squabble over rent and land ownership. Finally, a five-year deal has been struck but it comes at a cost.
THE future of three southwestern suburbs kindergartens is secure, after West Torrens Council agreed to lease their sites to the State Government for another five years.
After eight months of negotiations, councillors last week voted to go ahead with the leases on Netley, Kurralta Park and Glandore kindergartens.
The government will pay a total of $9000 per year – up from $2100 – starting on July 1.
The council last year wanted to sell the kindergarten land to the government, but the Education Department refused because of a strategy to eventually co-locate all preschools with schools, to create a smoother transition for students.
Cr Arthur Mangos told last week’s meeting the rent the council was charging for the kindergartens was still too cheap, at 10 per cent of market value.
The council had a valuer estimate the properties’ commercial rent potential, which was then discounted by 90 per cent to reflect their importance to the community.
He said he did not want to talk about it more because “the media would have a field day”.
Education Department executive director for infrastructure Ross Treadwell said the increased rent would be paid by head office and would not impact the individual kindergartens.
“(The department) will continue to work with the City of West Torrens to finalise the lease agreements,” Mr Treadwell said.
Council chief executive Terry Buss wrote to the Education Department in October to seek clarification on their future.
This followed a letter from the department’s property officer Adam Daly, which said it was unlikely the government would buy the sites because of a “general movement” of kindergartens being “relocated on or adjacent to school sites”.
None of the three kindergartens is co-located with a school.
Mayor John Trainer said the leases would give the kindergartens certainty over their future.
“We wanted to know on behalf of the community they wouldn’t have the pin pulled on them,” Mr Trainer said.
He said the government was still welcome to buy them.
An early termination clause will be included in the lease agreement. Mr Daly said there would be community consultation if any changes to the operation of the kindergartens was planned.