Forbes Shire Council is to look at supporting a local childcare centre by providing a block of land for its expansion.
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Forbes Child Care Centre Inc has more than 100 children on waiting lists and no space at their current facility, Council's mayor and general manager heard when they met with representatives in October.
Considering the need for childcare locally, providing some land for a new centre would be a great opportunity, councillors heard.
"We as a council know that we need more childcare and this is the only not-for-profit one in the town so we believe that this is a great partnership that we could have with them," Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said.
"We will be the owners of the land, and that will be a contribution that they'll take forward to government and get some funding."
Forbes Child Care Inc operates Forbes Learning Ladder and the Forbes Out of School Hours Care at a local school and is keen to bring the OOSHC on site.
"They are very keen to build a centre that brings the two areas together, that being childcare and after school and vacation care services," Mayor Miller said in her report.
The council could provide land at Goldridge Estate in future, a report from Mayor Phyllis Miller to the October council meeting says, and in the interim enter into a lease agreement over the adjacent Paul Wenz Park.
In the long-term, the council would become a partner of Forbes Child Care Centre Inc and the value of that land would become a basis for the centre to apply for funding for expansion, the report suggests.
"This would ensure that the Forbes Child Care Centre Inc, which is a 'not for profit' organisation, would remain an asset of the Forbes community," the mayor's report said.
"It is important that Council commence planning for this now as there is funding stream available for child care centres.
"They have advised Council that they have a waiting list in excess of 100 children. I am sure the other childcare centres would also have waiting lists."
Councillors asked the general manager to report back on suitable lots at Goldridge Estate, and to investigate the legal requirements to become a financial partner of Forbes Child Care Centre Inc.
They also authorised him to negotiate a lease over Paul Wenz Park as an interim measure.
