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Last Updated: Tuesday, 03 October 2023 09:43

Actively supporting small business in the Toowoomba Region

We’ve joined the Small Business Friendly Council’s (SBFC) initiative partnering with the Queensland Small Business Commissioner to actively support small business in the Toowoomba Region. To participate in the SBFC initiative, Council signed a Charter that demonstrates our commitment to our local small business community.

Small businesses are at the heart of our regional communities as they create local jobs and support the local economy while providing essential goods and services. This initiative is Council’s commitment to be mindful of small business when making community decisions.

Benefits for local small businesses

Through this initiative, Council aims to help small business benefit from:

• a greater focus on helping small businesses to grow and employ more local people
• increased access to tools and resources to support business recovery and resilience
• simplified administration and regulation (reduced red tape)
• increased opportunities to promote and showcase your business
• greater access to fair procurement and prompt payment terms for suppliers to councils.

Our commitment to small business

We agree to uphold the commitments set out in the charter, as explained below.

Communicate and engage with small businesses

• actively engage and be mindful of small businesses, their issues and priorities when decision-making.
• communicate clearly in a timely manner both formally and informally
• engage with state-wide partners where appropriate on matters affecting small businesses
• publish clear service standards stating what small businesses can expect from us.

Raise the profile and capability of small business

• recognise and value the importance of small businesses to our community and local economy
• encourage shopping locally and promote small business campaigns (e.g. 'buy local', 'go local first')
• help small businesses develop networks, access education and increase their capability
• assist small businesses to access government, business and industry programs and resources.

Support small business resilience and recovery

• with support from state-wide partners deliver short, medium, long term activities to help with recovery and resilience building following disaster events or economic shocks
• adopt a business disruption management good practice guide (e.g. working with small business to minimise disruption during local capital works projects).

Simplify administration and regulation for small business (red tape reduction)

• limit unnecessary administration and implement business improvement processes
• support small businesses to achieve regulatory compliance
• apply licences and regulations in a consistent manner in collaboration with other councils and relevant agencies
• regularly review administration and regulatory requirements, policies and procedures to reduce red tape
• maintain a timely and cost effective internal review and complaint process in relation to council decisions.

Ensure fair procurement and prompt payment terms for small businesses

• implement a procurement policy that provides a fair opportunity to prove goods and services
• help find local council procurement opportunities to assist in tendering
• pay all valid invoices from small business suppliers within a stated reasonable period (e.g. 20 calendar days).

Develop and promote place-based programs for small businesses

• identify, develop and promote a minimum of two place-based programs which are important for start-ups, growing businesses and building resilience (these may include existing or new programs).

Promote and showcase small businesses

• promote participation via marketing and communication channels (e.g. in collaboration with local chamber of commerce)
• create awareness by promoting the SBFC initiative (e.g. SBFC branding online and across marketing and communication materials)
• sharing successes, ideas and learnings with other councils and partners
• allow the Queensland Small Business Commissioner to promote council programs and activities related to the SBFC initiative.

Measure and report on our performance

• seek regular feedback from our small businesses to help drive business improvement
• monitoring the commitments in the Charter to ensure we fulfil these obligations
• publish a report in relation to council's performance in relation to the SBFC initiative within six months of signing the Charter and once every 12 months thereafter.

What the SBFC means for Council

Participation in the Small Business Friendly Council initiative enables councils to:

• access tools and resources to assist councils with small business resilience and recovery
• use the Queensland Small Business Commissioner's (QSBC) SBFC identifier and brand assets to promote their commitment to being small business friendly
• promote their initiatives on the SBFC website
• join a community of like-minded small business friendly councils
• participate in regular forums
• help attract investment and commercial opportunities to stimulate growth in the local economy
• access a dedicated point of contact within the QSBC to seek immediate advice or information regarding available programs and sup.

Find out more

For more information visit Small Business Friendly Councils initiative | Business Queensland