Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) will further its commitment to local businesses by joining the Small Business Friendly Councils (SBFC) initiative.
On Tuesday 16 February Council made a recommendation for Mayor Paul Antonio to sign the charter which will see TRC as one of the first members in the group.
"Supporting our local community is Council's core business," Mayor Antonio said.
"Whether that be through securing long-term water security for our residents, mowing grass, maintaining roads or providing assistance to local businesses - our community is at the front of every decision made.
"Last year we met with the Queensland Small Business Commission to discuss the SBFC charter which places an emphasis on being there for our local small business community.
"The SBFC initiative has been established to recognise and support local Councils in Queensland that are actively supporting small businesses in their area and helping small businesses to recover and build resilience following disasters and economic challenges.
"This charter details the range of commitments that Councils are expected to meet in becoming a SBFC and measures how effective we are in meeting or exceeding the commitments of the charter.
"The intent of this group is for Councils to work together by sharing information so that other Councils may develop improved processes to support local businesses further.
"While we're pleased with how we've been able to increase our local spend in recent years, we're always looking for opportunities to improve our service to the community and see this charter as a way to do just that."
Council made a recommendation to approve the Mayor signing the Small Business Friendly Council Charter with the Queensland Small Business Commissioner, subject to the charter being amended to include a disclaimer noting that it is not considered to be a legally binding document on Toowoomba Regional Council and that it can only be endorsed for the period of the current Council term.
