This week I addressed the annual Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by the Kiama and District Business Chamber.

My thanks to the Chamber for allowing me the chance to speak directly to a large and important part of our community: our local business owners and operators.

What I had to say, in short, was this:

I’ve heard it said we (Kiama Council) would be in a whole lot better shape if we ran it like a business. There is only one thing wrong with that sentiment: it isn’t a business.

Roads seldom make money, and neither do our parks or libraries. We don’t charge fees at the entrance in order to be ‘run like a business.’

Kiama municipality may not be a business, but it has a lot of the characteristics that good businesses believe are their hallmarks.

When I am asked ‘Are you running council like a business?’, I say that we employ first-rate business principles, alongside the highest principles of good governance.

Most businesses would have a hard time matching our service or functioning in such a highly regulated and highly public environment where every move we make is legislated and subject to very public scrutiny.

Our financial situation is improving and we are taking steps to improve our cash flow by divesting assets that are no longer providing the utility that the community expects.

To enhance our bottom line, we are seeking revenue-making opportunities and being open and transparent with our bankers, our auditors and the NSW Government.

Everything we do for the next little while will fall into one of these categories:

1. Improve cash flow
2. Develop a surplus budget
3. Actively pursue sustainable revenue streams
4. Avoid administration.

I am also committed to ensuring that this council will become much more business-friendly.

Business people are our neighbours, our friends, our families and they keep our community strong.

That’s why I am committed to a small business charter.

I believe what benefits small business benefits the whole community.

This means Council working with businesses across all sectors to revitalise the local economy, to attract new customers and investment.

To this end, we are recruiting for an Economic Development Coordinator.

This is to offer support in enquiries from businesses to accelerate procedures and assist in developing a Small Business Friendly Council Charter.

From my own working life, I understand the strain, the stress and the risks small businesses take daily.

After COVID, we must have strategies in place that will offer support, cut red tape and bring real benefits to our local small business community.