At Port Macquarie-Hastings Council there are so many talented and inspiring women who make a genuine difference in our community. I believe our council would be one of only a handful of councils with women as both mayor and deputy mayor.

I’d like to personally thank Pam Milne for the work she does daily at the Glasshouse to encourage the community to actively engage with this world class facility. 

Pam also sets a fine example for other women  in local government, reinforcing that there are promising and rewarding career opportunities.

Congratulations Pam on your nomination for these annual awards.

More information is available on the Office of Local Government’s website olg.nsw.gov.au.

Grant Alert – Funding to improve preschools

Local preschools can apply for funding as part of a $15 million injection from the NSW government to ensure children attending preschools have the safest and most engaging learning environments.

This is yet another reminder the NSW government is investing in the educational quality of preschools and helping to increase the number of children attending preschools.

This is great news for local preschools. The funding could cover items such as new play equipment to encourage a child’s hand-eye coordination; replacing bark with soft fall in the outdoor play area to reduce risk of injury; or new air conditioning to give children a more comfortable learning environment.

The funding is made up of the new $10 million Quality Learning Environments fund and the $5 million Capital Works Grants fund – both a product of the NSW government’s Start Strong program.

For more information on the grants and how to apply, visit: education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education