Port Phillip Council has partnered with the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) to provide more support to local businesses as they work on getting through to the other side of the pandemic.
The new partnership is through the Small Business Friendly Council initiative, which the VSBC has currently rolled out to 62 of the state's 79 local government areas.
Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith, City of Port Phillip Mayor Cr Louise Crawford and Port Phillip Council CEO Peter Smith made it official by signing the initiative's Charter.
By signing, the council is pledging to work with the VSBC on important measures including:
- helping small businesses to keep trading while infrastructure works are underway – including consulting with business owners for the life of these projects
- working towards paying small business suppliers within 14 days
- helping new local business networks to get up and running and existing ones to thrive.
The City of Port Phillip supports more than 79,000 jobs, many of which are in professional and technical services, construction, health care, hospitality and retail trade – industries that are key drivers of the city's economy.
This new commitment builds on their existing business supports, including:
- their work to consolidate permit requirements, take a person-centered approach and put in place a business concierge service to help new business owners navigate approvals
- their establishment of the Prosperous Port Phillip Business Advisory Group to gain insights into the challenges faced by local businesses post-COVID.
