11 – Small Business
Council’s purpose is to provide, as best as possible, a business-friendly approach to small business start-ups and continuing small business success. Council will partner with other government organisations with existing expertise and programs (e.g. ATO and NSW Fair Trading) together with
the local government area’s business and community organisations in delivering tailored programs and opportunities.
Elements/Actions:
11.1 Local Community Engagement:
11.1.1 Council will adopt guiding principles for Small Business similar to:
* Council, NSW & Federal governments should be concerned with the overall small business welfare of the region rather than merely with service provision.
* Council should encourage the empowerment of small business communities
within the region & the citizens who constitute them, and will recognise the
contribution of local small business organisations & enable, rather than control, that contribution.
* Council will ensure that the whole range of the small business resources in the community is used to the full for the good of the Region.
* Council will review and publish an annual plan on how needs are best met.
11.1.2 Council will maintain a joint register of active small business groups and
organisations in the region and encourage them to prepare an annual “issues and action” list that will provide the basis of bi annual liaison forums involving these groups with Council.
11.2 Central Coast Council:
11.1.1. Council will develop, with help from academics, workers, pensioners and small business-people, a working definition of a viable business
11.1.2 Council will, in its first year, commission a small business study (Encouraging & Supporting Viable Small Business Study) in concert with the university sector, to identify the best method(s) the Council, NSW and Federal Governments can use to encourage, and strengthen the longevity of, viable small businesses
11.1.3 Council will run an annual “Happy Workers, Happy Business” competition to highlight good wages, conditions and business practices and their association with satisfied and committed workers.
11.1.4 Council will encourage, in partnership with agencies and organisations, compliance with employment laws such as: payment of Award and over-Award wages; unpaid hours of work; use of 457 visas to undercut payment of wages; unpaid superannuation entitlements.
11.1.5 Council will produce a small booklet to assist potential small business owners (Assistance for Potential Small Business Owners), which:
(i) outlines the steps to a successful viable business
(ii) provides a check-list, in organisational order, of planning steps to be undertaken when establishing a viable small business
(iii) identifies and lists: common pitfalls to be avoided; legislative and regulatory for viable small businesses; contact names and numbers of voluntary mentors and professional advisors
11.1.6. Council will run annual workshops, in concert with TAFE/agencies, to assist people considering establishing a viable small business.
11.1.7 Council will appoint a Small Business Manager
11.1.8 Council will resource an entrepreneur coordinator who will assist start up business and small businesses who are endeavouring to grow
11.1.9 Council will hold bi-annual liaison forums with small businesses in each ward
11.1.10 Council will recognise and include in Council-organised forums , “commuter small businesses” that are resident in the region but operate substantially out of the region.
11.1.11 Council will include small business development in the Sister City program
11.1.12 Council will set up one or more sister city programs with another Australian city that has a complementary economy to that of the Central Coast. This program will offer small business in both cities opportunities to network, trade and collaborate with each other through joint Council-arranged processes
11.1.13 Council will maintain a current database of small business “health” statistics for the region. Data will be made freely available.
11.1.14 Council will liaise with community and small business to advise on local traffic and parking planning.
11.3 NSW Government:
11.3.1 Council will make representations to, negotiate with, and if necessary campaign for, the NSW Government to seek legislative and regulatory support for matters identified as priorities in the Encouraging and Supporting Viable Small Businesses Study [see 11.1.2]
11.4 Federal Government:
11.4.1 Council to make representations to the Federal Government to seek legislative and funding support for matters identified as priorities in the Encouraging and Supporting Viable Small Businesses Study [see 11.1.2].
