Dubbo City Council will next week consider granting a $91,170 interest free loan to Dubbo and District Preschool to cover application and consultants' fees for the construction of an extension to the preschool, following a recommendation endorsed by the Finance and Policy Committee at its September meeting on Monday night.
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Chairman of the Finance and Policy Committee, Councillor John Walkom said Dubbo and District Preschool had been the successful recipient of a $907,000 grant from the NSW government to construct two new classrooms and a staff room.
"It is fantastic that Dubbo and District Preschool have secured a substantial grant from the NSW government to construct additional classrooms," Cr Walkom said.
"The new classrooms will accommodate up to 60 children by the end of 2015 and will provide some much-needed relief to the long waiting lists for preschool positions in the city."
Cr Walkom said the new classrooms would be constructed on Dubbo and District Preschool's existing premises on the corner of Bultje and Hampden streets however, the extension will need to use a section of the adjoining Daphne Park which is Crown land managed by council.
"Daphne Park is currently zoned public recreation with a classification of community land.
"For the extension to proceed the preschool will need to apply for the area to be rezoned R1 General Residential and be reclassified as operational land," Cr Walkom said.
"The preschool has applied to council for an ten-year interest-free loan to cover the costs of the preparation of the Gateway Rezoning Application, the gateway fee, preparation of the development application, development application and construction certificate fees and other consultants' fees," Cr Walkom said.
"While the preschool has received a substantial grant from the NSW government the funds cannot be used for anything other than capital works and additional funds raised by the preschool will also go towards the construction of the extension," Cr Walkom said.
The Finance and Police Committee Monday night endorsed the recommendation that council provide an interest-free loan of $91,170 to Dubbo and District Preschool, with a final decision to be made at council's ordinary meeting next Monday.