Cumberland Council childcare centres sell-off plan advances

A western Sydney council’s controversial plan to offload its 17 childcare centres has advanced but parents are calling for more transparency over the process.

Cumberland Council is considering privatising its childcare services.

Cumberland Council’s controversial plan to privatise its 17 childcare centres has advanced but parents are calling for more transparency before selling off the service.

The cash-strapped council revealed in August that it was considering selling its childcare centres, four swimming pools, two golf courses, aged care units and the Holroyd Centre in an effort to salvage $4.5 million in savings.

At a November 23 meeting during a closed session, Mayor Steve Christou used his casting vote to begin the tender process with Advantage Childcare Services, Lighthouse Childcare and The Infants Home Child and Family Services.

Councillors Ned Attie, Paul Garrard, Joe Rahme, Eddy Sarkis, Michael Zaiter and Tom Zreika also supported the privatisation.

George Campbell, Glenn Elmore, Ola Hamed, Kun Huang, Lisa Lake, Suman Saha and Greg Cummings, voted against the privatisation.

Labor’s Cr Saha said a recession motion to defer the sell-off would be filed at the December 16 meeting.

Cr Saha said opponents were seeking a “better outcome where council doesn’t outsource the childcare centres or long day care centres and we find a way to manage the childcare centres’’.

The vote during the confidential session also proposed to work with childcare staff and the United Services Union so that, if the council was to retain the centres, it would allow childcare services to be delivered at minimal cost.

But Cr Saha rejected that “confusing’’ plan.

“It doesn’t work like that,’’ he said.

“You can’t manage the centres once you offload or outsource the centre because it will be managed by a private operator so the argument that you own the centres doesn’t make sense.’’

Greystanes mother Stephanie Bushell, who has two daughters in a council-run childcare centre, criticised the lack of transparency over the vote.

“I just think they’re not very transparent,’’ she said.

“All of a sudden it’s a service they’re not willing to provide after the last 30 years.

“I still think if the council’s not willing to provide services to the community then what are they doing?

Cumberland Council is poised to offload its childcare centres.

“I just think they’re taking away a service that so many people in the community benefit from

“It’s not just my family — we’ve probably got three or four groups of friends sitting in this situation.”

A Cumberland Council spokeswoman confirmed it was working with the union to help run the services at a reduced subsidy but if the proposal was not a viable alternative, the council would retain ownership of the sites and the buildings that provide the services.

She said the November 23 meeting was closed because it affected staff employment but the outcome on the tender process was expected in the first half of next year.

“Council’s financial situation is well-known and there is currently a high level of subsidy for these services, with them running at a significant loss of millions of dollars each year,’’ she said.

“There has been discussion with the market to determine the most efficient operating model for council-run childcare services and to determine whether interested parties have the capacity to deliver these services to a better standard than we currently do, and in a way that is more financially sustainable than the current model.

“This is about ensuring a fair outcome for the 600 families who use this service and more than 70,000 ratepayers who currently subsidise the service.”

Cumberland Mayor and Our Local Community councillor Steve Christou blamed Labor councillors for being “selfish” and turning the childcare matter into an election issue.

“This was evident a fortnight ago when the Labor councillors walked out of a council meeting simultaneously whilst the issue was being discussed,’’ he said.

“The meeting had to be reconvened days later which cost council thousands of dollars.

“This matter should have been addressed 18 months ago when the general manager and his directors first brought this issue to council’s attention.’’

Meanwhile, Mrs Bushell hopes the “phenomenal’’ childcare workers will be re-employed if the centres are privatised.

“I feel very sorry for the staff,’’ she said.

“They’re such beautiful people and I always feel these things are going to affect their employment.’’

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