Parra News December 15 2020

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Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Out of school hours service
cut due to financial issues
NICOLA BARTON
Cumberland City Council has
announced it will cease its out of
school hours (OOSH) service for
Pendle Hill Public School at the end of
Term 1 in 2021.
The news comes after a difficult year
for the council, as it experiences the full
financial impact of COVID-19.
Currently around 25 families use the
service, which Council has been providing
for a fee.
Council’s General Manager, Hamish
McNulty said the decision to withdraw
the service was due to the low utilisation
rates compared to
the capacity of the
service.
“Council’s
financial
situation
is wellknown
and there is currently a high level
of subsidy for these services,” he said.
“The OOSH at Pendle Hill is currently at
15 per cent utilisation in the morning and
30 per cent in the afternoon. Given the
costs involved in providing this service,
we don’t think Council is best placed to
continue delivering the service.”
Mr McNulty assured the service would
still be available in the future.
“We understand that the public school
will offer the OOSH service to another
provider within the next three months
and Council will continue to assist the
school during this transition period,” he
said.
“I want to thank Council staff who have
been providing the OOSH
service for Pendle Hill
Public School and
for working
so hard for
parents.”
The OOSH service at Pendle Hill Public School is being wound back.
LOCAL NEWS
Volunteers encouraged to
help at upcoming events
Volunteers doing their bit to help the community.
NICOLA BARTON
The City of Parramatta Bushcare
program is calling all animal
lovers, creatives or even just those
with a green thumb to join in on their
fun holiday activities.
Run by The Social Canvas, a creative
social enterprise focusing on art and
design, ecology, health and heritage
in the Parramatta area, the bushcare
program welcomes volunteers from all
ages for a series of hands-on events.
The project is overseeing the cultivation
of numerous native plants that will grow
to protect and house native animals in
Old Toongabbie.
Volunteers will get hands-on experience
with weeding and planting of the
original understory seedlings for the
purpose of boosting the habitat for the
future of the site’s ecology.
Specifically, the project aims to expand
safe homes for an assortment of species.
Local artists are encouraged to participate
in council-approved mural paintings
on areas such as culverts, bringing a
new form of vibrance to the reserve.
Further support for this initiative has
seen other local organisations such as
PlasticFree Parramatta conduct creek
cleaning sessions, helping restore this
area for the native flora, fauna and people.
The next bushcare event will be held
on Sunday, December 27 at the Gallery
Gardens Reserve, Old Toongabbie.
Register here: https://bit.ly/3mPPoTA
12
PN42807