Creche voucher plan

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 6

Creche voucher plan

A voucher. system for people who cannot afford the full cost of short-term day care for children may be tried at the Christchurch City Council’s creche in Cathedral Square this year. The council’s community services committee has said that the normal creche charge should be increased from 70c to 80c an hour for one child. The top fee would $1.40 an hour ($1.30) for three or more children of the same family.

Vouchers at 50c an hour would be made available to agencies of the Council for Child and Family Services and other organisations dealing with low-income families. These organisations could either sell the vouchers or give them away. Mrs Margaret Hayman, the council’s child-care worker, said that the creche should not lose any income under the voucher system because most of the people who would use the vouchers would not be using the creche now. The committee’s chairman, Cr D. J. Rowlands, said that patronage of the creche could increase under the new system. Civic centre

The committee agreed to start a management committee system for the Civic

Child Care Centre at the Arts. Centre. The council would make a full budget provision for the centre; possibly $115,243 compared with $91,200 last year, for the last time in 1981-82.

In future the centre, which was established in 1978, would have a grant to cover the rental of the premises and a contribution of 35 per cent of salaries paid during any year. Sunnier job The council may provide $22,700 this .year toward alterations and structural, work at the Sumner Community Centre. A total of $48,000 is need-

ed for alterations and earthquake strengthening. From 300 to 400 people a week regularly, use the old building and the community would raise $6OOO towards the project. Bexley Hall?

A feasibility study will be done on establishing a community centre in Bexley.

The committee was told that the $26,000 relocatable building now used by the Canterbury Public Library might be available when the library shifts to its new building early next year. A community centre site near the playground, at the southern end of Bexley, is also being considered.