DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES —
THE PEOPLE PLACE, BUSSELTON
18. Hon DIANE EVERS to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the empowering
communities program and the Department of Communities' competitive
tender process.
(1) Is the
minister aware that the People Place in Busselton, which provides vital
community services and programs and was previously funded under the former
supporting communities program, was considered ineligible for funding through
the competitive tender process?
(2) If yes, can the minister advise
what criteria was not met?
(3) In December
last year, the assistant director general, Brad Jolly, stated in the media that
''the department will work with them to enhance their service model in
line with the CNDS program to ensure they provide the best service to children,
families and communities in the Busselton area''. What has the
department done so far to achieve this?
(4) Will the
minister confirm the commitment of the department to work with the People Place
to secure long-term funding beyond 2020; and, if not, why not?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
Department of Communities completed an open tender process for the empowering
communities program. Although the People Place, Busselton, tender offer is
confidential, and, as such, cannot be disclosed, I can advise that the
Department of Communities has provided it with feedback on its offer on 16 January
2019.
(3) Communities
has communicated to the People Place, Busselton, that it will have its service
agreement extended to 30 June 2020. During the provision of feedback,
preliminary discussions were held regarding ways
to strengthen the service model, staff skills and governance practices so that
the organisation is better placed for future opportunities. Senior
officers from the Department of Communities will meet again with the People
Place, Busselton, in the near future to discuss potential enhancements to the
service model.
(4) During the
next 18 months, the Department of Communities will work with the People Place,
Busselton, to develop a service model to align with the requirements of the
empowering communities program. Further to this, communities is commencing
discussions with the People Place, Busselton, to have its deed of licence for
the centre extended to 2024. This will ensure there is an ongoing, affordable
asset in Busselton that can be used by community groups.