Businesses want fair share

I refer to the letter from Richard Newby (March 10) regarding the calls by the Chamber of Commerce for an increase in the funding for street cleaning, maintenance and security in our Peninsula town centres.

Like Mr Newby's grandfather (who was a shopkeeper), many of our local buisness operators also sweep their footpaths and clean their shopfronts each morning.

This is a basic expectation which ensures that businesses look clean and attract customers.

However, all businesses are rated by Council with funds allocated for the general cleaning, maintenance and security across each of our Peninsula retail centres which go beyond the normal daily expectations of our local shopkeepers.

Mr Newby asks whether we can afford to give more subsidies to local business and this is where Mr Newby is clearly wrong.

The Chamber is not asking for subsidies at all.

The Chamber is simply asking that more of the money that our business people pay through rates and rental outgoings is spent on ensuring that our Peninsula town centres are kept clean, receive the maintenance they deserve and are safe for the very customers on which they rely.

Like many business people down here, I am sick and tired of seeing the rate dollar raised on the Peninsula being spent in other sections of the city whilst our local retail centres are treated like second class citizens.

With millions of dollars being spend on upgrading the Terrigal town centre and beautifying the Gosford CBD ghost town, I would like to see a little bit of that come this way without having to continually fight for every lousy dollar.

Matthew Wales Peninsula Chamber of Commerce