BEECHWORTH Community Early Years Learning Centre (BCEYLC) and parents are vowing to “continue the fight” after being ousted for an out of-town childcare provider last week.
Alpine Children’s Services (ACS) was awarded the lease as the sole provider to take over the Mayday Hills site currently occupied by BCEYLC and Beechworth Kindergarten from next year and disband existing tenant, BCEYLC and Beechworth Kindergarten.
ACS will take over as tenants from 1 January next year.
While Beechworth Kindergarten told the Ovens and Murray Advertiser last week they were supportive of the decision, BCEYLC board members and parents have taken immediate action to dispute it after packing council's foyer during the Tuesday, 25 March meeting.
A formal complaint was submitted to Indigo Shire Council regarding its handling of the Expression of Interest (EOI) process and decision to award the lease for the Mayday Hills early years facility to Alpine Children’s Services.
Latest Stories
The complaint, authored by Beechworth parent Emma MacPhee, garnered nearly 250 signatures from parents, community members, and local businesses.
Outlined in the 22-page document were concerns around governance, transparency and community engagement in council’s decision making process.
“This was not just a property lease decision — it was a change to a long-standing, community-governed early years’ service that affects more than 150 families,” Ms MacPhee said.
“There was no meaningful community engagement, no transparency in how applicants were assessed, and no clear explanation of how this decision serves the best interests of local children, families, or the broader community.”
The community not-for-profit organisations have been located at the site for 25 years after a joint community venture to build facilities.
The letter claims council’s expression of interest process didn’t include an adequate risk assessment - including risk to BCEYLC’s immediate expansion plans, excluded community input in the development of EOI criteria and involved no community representation on the assessment panel.
The complaint also claims councillors failed to keep an open mind in their decision, with correspondence shown by a councillor referring to the outcome as “already decided” days before the vote.
More than 90 questions were submitted to council prior to the meeting, with 12 of them answered and the rest split into themes and put on notice.
Ms MacPhee said BCEYLC wanted council’s lease decision rescinded and to ensure there would be community representation in the assessments of applicants aligned with council’s policy framework.
“We are not just raising concerns — we are offering a collaborative path forward,” she said.
“This is a chance for the council to correct course, rebuild trust, and genuinely work with the community it represents.”
BCEYLC held a community barbeque on Tuesday in Beechworth which attracted 130 people in support of the centre.
Parent Carly Jacobs, who attended the event, said the gathering of community solidarity was more than just a building, it was about protecting a community-led service and “continuing the fight”.
“One thing is clear: Beechworth won’t be silenced and we’re not done," she said.
Also present at the gathering was incumbent Indi MP Helen Haines, who had recently proposed a plan to create hundreds of new childcare places and increase capacity in Indi by up to 10 per cent.
Dr Haines was not taking sides at the gathering, as it was a local government issue, but took the time to listen to concerned parents.
Indigo Shire Council chief executive officer Trevor Ierino confirmed he had received the complaint from Beechworth Community Early Years Learning Centre and said council would take time to work through it.
“The complaint will be dealt with in accordance with Council’s Complaints Handing Policy,” he said.
