Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre Occupancy Lease
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We've developed this page to provide information regarding the Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Occupancy Lease expression of interest (EOI) process, and to provide responses to community concerns and most frequently asked questions.
Background
Indigo Shire Council maintains a long-term lease on land at Mayday Hills Beechworth, where there are facilities dedicated to childcare and kindergarten services for the Beechworth community. Currently, Council holds separate occupancy agreements with both the Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre (BCEYLC) and Beechworth Kindergarten for the provision of these important community services.
These occupancy agreements were initially due to expire in August 2025.
However, at its August 2024 meeting, Council resolved to conduct an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to identify a single provider to occupy the Mayday Hills facility from 1 January 2026. Consequently, the existing agreements were extended to December 2025 to:
accommodate the EOI process;
allow time and certainty for the current operators and their clients; and
align with the calendar year and service operating cycles.
Expression of Interest Evaluation Process
The EOI process to identify a single provider to occupy the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre was publicly advertised from 13 September 2024 and closed on 17 January 2025.
As part of the EOI process, applicants were required to outline how they would maximise the operations and offerings of early years services (childcare and kindergarten) at the Centre and, in doing so, how their proposed service offering would significantly reduce current waiting lists. Applicants were also asked to demonstrate their experience in the delivery of early years services including their ability to deliver both childcare and kindergarten services and how their proposed service offering would have community benefit.
An evaluation panel, comprising Indigo Shire officers and a Department of Education representative, reviewed and evaluated the submissions received against the following key selection criteria, which was included in the EOI documentation:
Mandatory Requirements:The building must be used for the operation of a kindergarten and childcare service and applicants must be experienced and certified early childhood service providers.
Financial Implications: Applicants are required toindicate their expectations of rental payments, maintenance contributions from Council, payment of utilities and outgoings and any capital works contributions from Council.
Evidence of Experience (weighting 30%): Applicants will be required to provide substantiated evidence of previous experience operating a kindergarten and childcare service to a high standard. Applicants will be required to demonstrate their capacity to operate both kindergarten and childcare services.
Type of Use and Community Benefit (weighting 30%):Applicants will be required to demonstrate their proposed service planning and delivery model and use for the building and how that will benefit the community, particularly addressing Council’s requirement for the provision of Kindergarten and both short-and-long-day Childcare Services.
Maximum use of the Facility (weighting 40%):Applicants are required todemonstrate how they can maximise the use of the facility and respond to community needs including wait lists.
Council resolution Tuesday 25 March 2025
At its meeting on 25 March 2025, Council resolved to accept a recommendation to negotiate a lease with Alpine Children’s Services (ACS) to occupy the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre from January 2026.
The resolution was that Council:
1. Notes that five submissions were received in response to a Expression of Interest advertised for the occupancy of the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre.
2. Accepts the Expression of Interest and subsequent negotiation of lease terms and approves that a lease be entered into by Alpine Children’s Services for the application of a licence to provide childcare and kindergarten services, and upon successfully obtaining this licence, to operate childcare and kindergarten services at the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre (1 Childs Way, Beechworth VIC 3747), commencing 1 January 2026 for a period of five years with the option of a four-year extension and the following terms:
The lessee will:
a. occupy the building for the purpose of operating a childcare and kindergarten service;
3. Directs officers to support and monitor the transition process to ensure Alpine Children’s Services delivers on its stated commitments and that the transition is managed in a safe, transparent and community focussed manner
4. Requests Council officers work closely with Alpine Children’s Services to support the delivery of all stated commitments, wherever possible and to actively assist in addressing any emerging issues throughout the transition period
5. Delegates authority to the CEO to finalise the details and execute the lease documents on its behalf.
About Alpine Children’s Services (ACS)
ACS is currently the largest provider of not-for-profit community kindergarten and early childhood education services in Alpine Shire.
ACS is experienced at managing complicated waitlists and adapting programs to ensure all families can access the places they need while keeping fees as low as possible. They have dedicated leadership and systems to offer sustainable, best-practice programs to all children.ACS is recognised as a sector leader in governance and recruitment. ACS is one of the few regional providers in the sector to operate at full staffing capacity.
Council is committed to working with both the new and existing providers to ensure a seamless transition for children, families and staff. In the coming weeks our next steps are to work with the ACS, BCEYLC and the Beechworth Kindergarten on determining how we can support all parties as we commence the transition process.
We've developed this page to provide information regarding the Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Occupancy Lease expression of interest (EOI) process, and to provide responses to community concerns and most frequently asked questions.
Background
Indigo Shire Council maintains a long-term lease on land at Mayday Hills Beechworth, where there are facilities dedicated to childcare and kindergarten services for the Beechworth community. Currently, Council holds separate occupancy agreements with both the Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre (BCEYLC) and Beechworth Kindergarten for the provision of these important community services.
These occupancy agreements were initially due to expire in August 2025.
However, at its August 2024 meeting, Council resolved to conduct an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to identify a single provider to occupy the Mayday Hills facility from 1 January 2026. Consequently, the existing agreements were extended to December 2025 to:
accommodate the EOI process;
allow time and certainty for the current operators and their clients; and
align with the calendar year and service operating cycles.
Expression of Interest Evaluation Process
The EOI process to identify a single provider to occupy the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre was publicly advertised from 13 September 2024 and closed on 17 January 2025.
As part of the EOI process, applicants were required to outline how they would maximise the operations and offerings of early years services (childcare and kindergarten) at the Centre and, in doing so, how their proposed service offering would significantly reduce current waiting lists. Applicants were also asked to demonstrate their experience in the delivery of early years services including their ability to deliver both childcare and kindergarten services and how their proposed service offering would have community benefit.
An evaluation panel, comprising Indigo Shire officers and a Department of Education representative, reviewed and evaluated the submissions received against the following key selection criteria, which was included in the EOI documentation:
Mandatory Requirements:The building must be used for the operation of a kindergarten and childcare service and applicants must be experienced and certified early childhood service providers.
Financial Implications: Applicants are required toindicate their expectations of rental payments, maintenance contributions from Council, payment of utilities and outgoings and any capital works contributions from Council.
Evidence of Experience (weighting 30%): Applicants will be required to provide substantiated evidence of previous experience operating a kindergarten and childcare service to a high standard. Applicants will be required to demonstrate their capacity to operate both kindergarten and childcare services.
Type of Use and Community Benefit (weighting 30%):Applicants will be required to demonstrate their proposed service planning and delivery model and use for the building and how that will benefit the community, particularly addressing Council’s requirement for the provision of Kindergarten and both short-and-long-day Childcare Services.
Maximum use of the Facility (weighting 40%):Applicants are required todemonstrate how they can maximise the use of the facility and respond to community needs including wait lists.
Council resolution Tuesday 25 March 2025
At its meeting on 25 March 2025, Council resolved to accept a recommendation to negotiate a lease with Alpine Children’s Services (ACS) to occupy the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre from January 2026.
The resolution was that Council:
1. Notes that five submissions were received in response to a Expression of Interest advertised for the occupancy of the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre.
2. Accepts the Expression of Interest and subsequent negotiation of lease terms and approves that a lease be entered into by Alpine Children’s Services for the application of a licence to provide childcare and kindergarten services, and upon successfully obtaining this licence, to operate childcare and kindergarten services at the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre (1 Childs Way, Beechworth VIC 3747), commencing 1 January 2026 for a period of five years with the option of a four-year extension and the following terms:
The lessee will:
a. occupy the building for the purpose of operating a childcare and kindergarten service;
3. Directs officers to support and monitor the transition process to ensure Alpine Children’s Services delivers on its stated commitments and that the transition is managed in a safe, transparent and community focussed manner
4. Requests Council officers work closely with Alpine Children’s Services to support the delivery of all stated commitments, wherever possible and to actively assist in addressing any emerging issues throughout the transition period
5. Delegates authority to the CEO to finalise the details and execute the lease documents on its behalf.
About Alpine Children’s Services (ACS)
ACS is currently the largest provider of not-for-profit community kindergarten and early childhood education services in Alpine Shire.
ACS is experienced at managing complicated waitlists and adapting programs to ensure all families can access the places they need while keeping fees as low as possible. They have dedicated leadership and systems to offer sustainable, best-practice programs to all children.ACS is recognised as a sector leader in governance and recruitment. ACS is one of the few regional providers in the sector to operate at full staffing capacity.
Council is committed to working with both the new and existing providers to ensure a seamless transition for children, families and staff. In the coming weeks our next steps are to work with the ACS, BCEYLC and the Beechworth Kindergarten on determining how we can support all parties as we commence the transition process.
Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre Occupancy Lease has finished this stage
17 January 2025
Council accepts recommendation to negotiate a lease with Alpine Children’s Services to occupy the Mayday Hills Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre from January 2026.
Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre Occupancy Lease has finished this stage
25 March 2025
Transition period current and new provider
Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre Occupancy Lease is currently at this stage
26 March 2025 - 1 January 2026
New provider to commence
this is an upcoming stage for Beechworth Childcare and Kindergarten Centre Occupancy Lease
