Hughesdale mother Alison Howe had applied for a place at Hughesdale Kindergarten, in Freda Street, for her daughter Ashley.

While other local parents have already secured a place, Mrs Howe is yet to receive a response and fears she will miss out to residents outside Monash. While neighbouring municipality Glen Eira Council offers 100per cent priority to local families seeking a place at kindergartens in the area, Monash Council provides priority to local residents for only 51per cent of placements.

And because Hughesdale Kindergarten is close to the border of Murrumbeena, families from both suburbs compete for any spots.

Monash Council is considering introducing new regulations that would give full priority to residents, but these changes would not come into effect until 2011.

"Our assumption was that our daughter would progress to the four-year-old program as she was an incumbent student and we lived in Hughesdale near the kindergarten," Mrs Howe said.

"We have since found out that she is very low on the waiting list".

Cr Stefanie Perri said she felt for the Howes, whose situation was a "perfect example" of

why the system needed to change.

Cr Perri hoped the new policy, which is open for public submissions, would be passed at a council meeting in October.

"Unfortunately this change is not going to help Alison. I wish there was more we could do."

She said some leeway had to be given before introducing the change to ensure the least amount of disruption.