At its Tuesday night meeting the City of Greater Geelong Council resolved to apply for a State Government Municipal Infrastructure Redevelopment Grant to improve children's services infrastructure within the region.

The major grant on offer is $1 million, which is divided into a planning component of $100,000 and the remaining $900,000 can be directed toward one major capital project or distributed to several smaller projects.

"I can't overstate how important early childhood services are to young families within our region," The City's Community Development portfolio holder Cr Lou Brazier said.
"100 percent of local young families rely on these services to provide much-needed support during their child's crucial early years."

"Council places strong emphasis on ensuring we have adequate facilities in place to help us deliver our many children's programs which range from the maternal and child health services to kindergartens."

Cr Brazier said Council had undertaken a number of children's services infrastructure improvements in past months.

"Recent children's services infrastructure projects include the development of the new Lara Lakes Kindergarten and the refurbishment of the Belmont Child Care Centre and Portarlington Kindergarten."

"However, there are more facility upgrades that we want to get underway."

"Council owns more than 60 buildings that deliver children's services and - if successful - this grant will enable us to upgrade more of our existing buildings."  

The City of Greater Geelong is the main provider of early childhood services and facilities within the region, with a total of 62 buildings providing facilities and accommodation for services operated by Council and other agencies.

Facilities include 19 maternal and child health centres, seven child care centres and 36 kindergartens.

On Tuesday Council also agreed to submit expressions of interest for future funding under the State Government's Children's Centre Grant Program for areas including Leopold, Corio, Norlane, Whittington, Grovedale, Lara, Ocean Grove and Armstrong Creek.