Small Business Friendly?
Chamber advocacy leads to improved results but excellence is a way, away.
On 16 March 2020, Toowoomba Regional Council signed a Small Business Charter, committing to being a Small Business Friendly Council.
The small business friendly council initiative outlines the commitment between local councils, its partners and small businesses to support a prosperous and sustainable small business sector in communities across Queensland.
Standing up for Small Business Friendly!
The Charter can be used by chambers and progress associations throughout the region as:
- leverage for holding the Council accountable to the promises it has made to small businesses via the Charter;
- an advocacy tool for the benefit of our members;
- a basis for requiring the Council to consult with us on matters affecting the region’s small businesses before decisions are made; and
- an objective set of commitments against which the Council can test itself against other Small Business Friendly Councils.
A recent survey of Toowoomba businesses explored six of those commitments with a report card rating.
Toowoomba Chamber Chief Executive Officer, Todd Rohl said, “The findings illustrate some areas have improved when compared to the 2022 results which is a positive sign.
“However, where progress has been made, it has been slow and today, significant improvements are still required when it comes to Toowoomba Regional Council meeting its signed commitments to the small business community.
“The results from the business community are clear, that on a scale with A+ being outstanding and F, being a failure, the Toowoomba Regional Council, in my assessment has moved from an overall rating in 2022 of a C to a 2023 rating of C+. - “Specifically, the findings from the business community survey are that Toowoomba Regional Council
has: - significantly improved in communication and engagement with small business;
- sightly improved in raising the profile and capability of small business;
- marginally enhanced its support for small business resilience and recovery;
- made limited inroads to simplify administration and regulation red tape burden;
- had good improvement in ensuring fair procurement and prompt payment terms; and
- shown no advancement in promoting or showcasing small business
“We want Toowoomba Regional Council to be the beacon of excellence, the envy of other local governments, and to be seen as a small business incubator and haven throughout the State and nationally.
We want Towwoomba to be small business friendly
“We will continue to make Toowoomba Regional Council accountable for the important role they play in facilitating a prosperous business community by amongst other things, continuing to seek a reduction in taxes, the removal of unnecessary red tape and to have the city showcased.
“And support, stand up, and fight for local business in response to survey respondents who remain terribly concerned that Toowoomba Regional Council is holding the city back.
“Whilst there is still work required towards achieving excellence, the Toowoomba Chamber continues to offer to partner with Toowoomba Regional Council to address all the areas they have committed to through mechanisms such as the creation of a collaborative and transparent small business red tape taskforce,” Todd said.
