General News
3 December, 2024
Pittsworth hosts TRC’s first quarterly Regional Business Forum
The inaugural Regional Business Forum was held on Tuesday evening at the Pittsworth Town Hall. The informative and consultative networking event was hosted by Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) in conjunction with the Darling Downs Regional Alliance.
Representatives from chambers of commerce, progress associations and businesses from regional areas such as Pittsworth, Millmerran, Clifton, Cecil Plains and Crows Nest were in attendance.
“Council sees merit in meeting with business people across our Region to discuss local issues and opportunities and how representative bodies like our Chambers of Commerce, Progress Associations, the Darling Downs Regional Alliance and the higher levels of government can assist their endeavours,” Mayor Geoff McDonald said.
Leading the Forum was newly appointed Economical Development Manager, Anthony Holzwart, from TRC.
The Forum detailed the development of Council’s Economic Development Strategy, discussed current and emerging business opportunities and reviewed barriers to growth and sustainability.
“This is the first of our series,” Mr McDonald said.
“Bringing communities together, businesses that can leverage off each other, and leverage through opportunities - it’s about making sure that flows on.
“If we can support each other, it flows on through businesses, community and social fabric,” he said.
The Mayor highlighted the importance of the soon-to-be implemented councillor Community Engagement Model, in which the region will be split into three zones and each zone allocated three councillors for twelve months.
The aim is to ensure better engagement and access between the community and councillors.
One theme that continued to reoccur for discussion was the notion that one size does not fit all.
“We have different needs out here,” Mark Droney, developer of the Tuana Park Estate, said.
Challenges to economic growth highlighted by Mr Holzwart were:
A challenging operating environment - need to address a range of external threats in order to remain viable
Lack of time and energy to direct towards business growth
Too much red tape
Difficult and time consuming to unravel and navigate business support services from all levels of government
Unsure of where to turn for assistance
Not always able to objectively define the
true issues or impediments within the businessesNeed to ensure operational matters are covered means there is often little or no time to be strategic or tactical.
A comment brought from the floor by a Pittsworth business owner was, “What sort of support is offered to business owners, and are people aware that it is even out there?”
Mayor McDonald said Council was committed to engaging with the Region’s business community and building on its role as a Small Business Friendly council.
The Small Business Friendly is recognising and considering small businesses as an important customer, recipient and supplier to the community.
Mr Holzwart gave five principles to assist with economic development: engage, enable, adapt, grow and attract.
More discussion was had on business resilience and dealing with change and disruption.
There was strong TRC representation at the meeting in the form of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Cr Edwina Farquhar, Cr Kerry Shine, Cr Trevor Mantuefel, and the TRC Community Development Officers based in Pittsworth, Oakey and Millmerran.
The second Forum is expected to be held next quarter in a different area of the Toowoomba region.
