Small Business Friendly Program · Report

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                              11 APRIL 2023


   •   These businesses are significant and active contributors to the overall wellbeing and
       prosperity of the region.
   •   Noosa Council’s ability to engage and deliver services to its business community is a critical
       factor in the future success of the Noosa Shire economy.

Small Business Friendly Charter

The Charter outlines the principles that Council commits to as an organisation to enhance the
operating environment for small business. The Charter’s commitments are:

   •   We will actively communicate and engage with small business.
   •   We will raise the profile and capability of small business.
   •   We will promote and showcase small businesses.
   •   We will develop and promote place-based programs for small business.
   •   We will support small business resilience and recovery.
   •   We will measure and report on our performance.

The Charter aims to bring a new awareness to the work Council is already doing in supporting small
businesses and provides a platform and framework to guide continuous improvements across the
organisation.

The Small Business Friendly Councils initiative encourages Councils to support small business
through:
   •   Effective communication and engagement.
   •   Raising small business profile and capability.
   •   Supporting resilience and recovery.
   •   Simplifying administration and regulation (reducing red tape).
   •   Ensuring fair procurement and prompt payment terms.
   •   Promoting placed-based programs.
   •   Promoting and showcasing small business.
   •   Measuring and reporting on activities.
Benefits

The Small Business Friendly initiative features & benefits include:
   •   Supports cultural change across Council to be a more business responsive organisation.
   •   Information access & sharing including online collaboration across Councils’ via a
       communities of practice of other SBFC’s.
   •   Reporting on Council’s small business friendly activities.
   •   Showcasing & sharing Council’s achievements.
   •   Provides support and tools to drive continuous improvement.
   •   In addition, the program also provides Noosa Council with acknowledgement as a ‘small
       business friendly’ council, in recognition of the work that it has already undertaken in support
       of this sector of the economy.