A motion tabled by Maroondah City Council has gained overwhelming support from Victorian councils at the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council meeting, held on Friday 21 May 2021.
The MAV State Council Meeting provides an opportunity for each member Council in Victoria to submit motions which have significance on a state level for all Victorian municipalities.
Councillor Mike Symon, Council's representative on the MAV State Council, said the motion presented calls for a proactive approach in addressing the problems currently facing Local Government in its delivery of Maternal and Child Health services.
"Over the past decade the service has come under increasing financial and service delivery pressures, partly through the inclusion of additional mandated checks and required components to each consultation, which raises concerns about the ongoing sustainability of the service without some fundamental changes to the structure. The additional pressures experienced through the impacts of COVID are only exacerbating these already underlying pressures," Cr Symon said.
There was overwhelming support for the motion, which received 96 per cent of the vote in favour.
The Department of Education and Training (DET) and local councils share the responsibility of funding the Universal MCH Service, with councils responsible for the delivery and monitoring of the service. Councils, however, are bearing more than 50 per cent of costs in providing the service.
"Despite an in-principle agreement to provide the MCH service in an equal partnership, this is not the experience of local government, with limited opportunity to manage the introduction of change," part of the motion read.
The Maternal and Child Health service is a universal service available for all families with children from birth to school age through a schedule of consultations at key ages and stages, and other activities including parent groups.
The carried motion seeks the MAV to advocate to the Victorian Government on behalf of councils to prioritise the renegotiation of the Maternal and Child Health memorandum of understanding (MOU) in light of common issues impacting local government MCH services.
The MOU guides the partnership between State and Local Government when it comes to planning, funding and the provision of MCH services.
For more on the outcomes from the MAV State Council Meeting, visit the Municipal Association of Victoria website.
