THE Sunshine Coast Business Council has given our local government officials a pass mark for their management of small business policy during the first year in office.
With the Sunshine Coast Council set to hand down its 2013/14 Budget tomorrow, Business Council chairwoman Sandy Zubrinich said the real test would come in the next 12 months as councillors proved their commitment to the implementation of the regional planning scheme and the Economic Development Strategy (EDS).
“We are delighted that the council has placed the spotlight on economic development by developing an overarching strategy but the success is largely dependent on the funding,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“We hope this budget will take into account the need for specific action plans for the various target sectors identified, funding for project directors to oversee the game-changer projects and funding to ensure the implementation actions identified in the strategy are delivered, measured and monitored.”
Ms Zubrinich said unless the council dedicated sufficient funding to get stage one of the EDS off the ground, it would be “doomed from the start,” with impacts on major projects such as the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion and the Maroochydore Principal Activity Centre.
This is turn would flow on to employment figures and the average household income, both areas in which Ms Zubrinich said the Coast was performing “abysmally”.
“At the level of the less strategic things, we would like the council to continue to make positive steps in reducing fees and charges that affect our small businesses such as application fees, tip fees and signage fees,” she said.
“When the budget is released we will also be looking for the cost savings produced from the organisational review report that the CEO and Mayor have spoken about recently. “We would also expect to see the continuation of the existing financial incentives and infrastructure charges discounts targeting the high value economic sectors.
“The Sunshine Coast economy is in dire need of investment and support and we hope this budget will hold some good news for local business owners.”
Source: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/budget-traders-real-test-sunshine-coast-council/1918278/