Annual Report 2021-22

           Noosa Shire Council



     Food and Agribusiness
     • Noosa
       	    Council’s $25,000 support of the Food & Agribusiness Network (FAN) enabled the delivery of:
        - Four dedicated industry connection and capability events in Noosa,
        - Establishment
          	            of a dedicated FAN Noosa arm, including industry initiative plan for
          NoosaShowcasing of local events, producers and their products via social media & EDM’s
          (audience of 3,500)
        - Meet
          	     the Maker - 15 Noosa businesses exhibited, over 400 buyers and stakeholders attended
          this important distribution channel network.
     Industry and Employment Strategy
     • Noosa
       	     Council’s Economic Development Branch secured $50,000 (in matched funding) from
       State Government’s Building Better Regions Grant Fund Program to develop an Industry and
       Employment Action Plan for the Noosa region.
     • The
       	  Plan will focus on economic diversification, resilience and employment opportunities
       underpinned by analysis relating to business retention, growth, and attraction in high value
       industry sectors. The project, which is expected to be completed by March 2023 will help
       accelerate Noosa’s investment opportunities.
     Industry and Employment Land-use Report
     • Noosa
       	      Council’s Economic Development and Strategic Planning Branches are working
       collaboratively to undertake an Employment Land Review to test new precincts and provisions
       within the Noosa Plan 2020, ensuring that they are contemporary and cater for new and emerging
       industry and businesses to establish/grow in Noosa. This study will also identify the need for
       additional zoned employment land for future growth to 2051.
     Creation of a Register of Pre-qualified Suppliers
     • To
       	 streamline the procurement process for services used frequently by Noosa Council’s Economic
       Development Branch (including the Peregian Digital Hub), a Business and Marketing Services
       Panel was established.
     • Marketing
       	         and Consultancy Services are a significant expenditure across Economic Development
       with a need that is often urgent, highly specialised, and requires continuity of supplier
       relationships.
       	 accordance with Council’s Procurement Policy, an Invitation to Tender (ITT) was initiated,
     • In
       and attracted over 100 responses. With such a positive response to this tender from the market,
       a revised evaluation strategy was developed to enable continued streamlined assessment of
       the responses in accordance with legislation and provide a Register of Pre-qualified Suppliers
       (ROPS). The Panel was approved by Council Report at the Services and Organisation Committee.
       Subsequently, approved contractors can now be procured under a Noosa Council Panel
       arrangement.
     Noosa 4.0 Precinct Innovation Tour
     • In
       	 April 2022, a delegation including the Mayor, Councillors, and senior Stockwell (property
       developers) staff toured the Noosa Civic Innovation Precinct followed by presentations from the
       regions emerging biotech companies (and potential anchor tenants for Noosa Innovation Precinct
       – Noosa Precinct 4.0) - Provectus, Servatus, Corematic and Genics.
     • The
       	  purpose of this familiarisation tour was for senior Council policy makers and biotech executives
       understand infrastructural requirements of a biotech facility and lay the groundwork for future-
       focused development of innovation industries consistent with the EDS and Noosa Precinct 4.0.


50