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Collapse Issue 470 - 27 May 2019Issue 470 - 27 May 2019
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Ward councillors vote for Farnell Rd approval
Nursing home receives visit from alpaca
Application for five-storey 83-room hotel in Ettalong
Two-storey 'boutique' boarding house proposed
Sand artistry at Kiddies' Corner
Better shopping centre access to George St
Hotel proposal draws comment before exhibition period
Democracy has failed, says residents' group founder
Council staff at odds over street tree planting
Chamber receives $30,000 to promote local business
Council staff recommend rate rise
Matting installed to provide wheelchair beach access
Volunteers wanted to water street trees
Wicks returned for third term
An honour to be returned, says Wicks
Tesch urges support for on-demand bus service
Donation to Men's Shed
CWA branch president speaks on radio
CWA celebrates Mothers' Day with scones
CWA branch shows second fastest growth in NSW
Scouts donate to community garden
Hospital supports employee cycling for cancer cure
Lions club holds tea cosy expo
Parenting program at community centre
Strom Talk for World Environment Day
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
It takes a village ...
Sandplain lends itself to different drainage solution
Universities drive up house and rent prices
Stop outrageous boarding house development
Nasty mood at pre-poll booth
Metres of plastic propaganda is unacceptable
Demerit points are gained, not lost
Declare property portfolios and conflicts of interest
Climate action does not have much council commitment
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Morning tea attracts 250 people
Aged care facility receives accreditation
New barbecue and dining area opened
Women urged to take advantage of BreastScreen van
Chinese dance treat
Exemplary staff receive awards
New nurse educator starts
Volunteering for 76 years
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Jordan Richardson named as Archibald finalist
Artisan show planned for Wagstaffe hall
Literary lunch attracts 120
Bush poet speaks at Rotary club
Author talk at Woy Woy library
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
'Inconsiderate' parents endanger school children
Drama students perform Harry Potter
Request to not visit skate park before school
Ag students attend Beef Week at Wingham
Third in Woy Woy Cup competition
Rugby 7s gala
Nathan wins $50 for remembering pi
Campus contributes to Adopt a Farmer
Woy Woy South to get new roofing
Sensory garden benefits from planting
Peninsula students dominate touch football selection
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Lions women retain top spot on soccer ladder
Ettalong venue for Senior Sides championships
Anja returns from Spain with silver medal
Fight night raises funds for PCYC programs
Umina in 11th place
Jemma Smith part of medal-winning contingent
Woy Woy's best performance despite defeat
Woy Woy does well in pennant competition
Margaret Smith narrowly defeated in grand final
Former Bunnies player signs with Melbourne Storm
Umina bowling club champion
Donations to children in Zambia
Umina United to celebrate 40th birthday
Young life savers attend Collaroy workshop

Chamber receives $30,000 to promote local business

The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has been given $30,000 by Central Coast Council to promote local business and to increase foot traffic.

The grant is the result of a town centre review conducted by the Council of business development support for small businesses.

The funding and the ideas behind it have been welcomed by small business owner Ms Nadeane Fogg who fell foul of council regulations this month when she tried to improve visibility of her restaurant Link and Pin in Railway St.

"Someone complained to council about our flag and street furniture so our visible exposure is on hold until approval is sought,'' she said.

"It's funny. We got a call from council on the very same day an elderly gentleman tripped on the uneven footpath and banged his face badly.

"Lots of people would prefer people complained about uneven footpaths or holes in the road rather than our street furniture.''

The new policy might help small businesses like Link and Pin.

The council strategy will focus on street activation, streamlining red tape and improved night offerings.

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Mr Matthew Wales said the funding would help to develop and deliver programs that increase retail awareness, improve foot traffic and patronage, access industry information and provide up-skilling opportunities.

"It is also aimed at strengthening advocacy by the local Chamber and improve communication between businesses and council.''

He said street activation and retail centre promotion were important elements to ensuring that retail centres remained attractive and competitive.

The Chamber will have to sign a funding agreement with council outlining specific and quantifiable outcomes that will be reported quarterly to council.

It was one of six Central Coast chambers of commerce to receive money after a council decision on May 13.

The program is required to be implemented from July 1 this year.

Concepts to build on were identified during consultation sessions with representatives from business groups.

For Woy Woy, the area to capitalise on was in commercial and professional services.

For Umina, it was a vibrant street retail offering.

For Ettalong, it was tourism, cafes and restaurants.

For its part, the council will undertake to develop a night time economy strategy to assist business growth.

It will also pursue its "easy to do business approach" to streamline approvals and assessments for new businesses and changes to existing businesses.

It will develop a footpath activation policy to increase opportunities for activate and enliven town centre precincts.

And it will establish a program that assists businesses to promote and market themselves while improving communication and understanding with council.

A new committee will be formed soon.

At its February 11 meeting, council resolved to establish a town centres committee by June 2019. It will consist of interested councillors, relevant council staff and 10 community or business members.

Its job will be to oversee the new town centre management model.

A review of the committee structure will be undertaken by the council within 12 months.

Mr Wales said the new collaborative relationships were an important first step.

"Notwithstanding, there is also the need for Council to take a longer-term review of its town centre infrastructure and make commitments to upgrading our retail centres at Woy Woy, Umina Beach and Ettalong Beach with improved footpath paving, street furniture and landscaping," he said.

"It is essential to the success of strip retail centres that they are pleasant, safe and inviting so that customers will keep returning to local businesses to do their shopping.

"It's been almost 20 years since Council upgraded the Peninsula town centres and the impact of time can be plainly seen with a clear need for a major revamp.

"This is not a cheap exercise but, nonetheless, it needs to be done lest the costs to do so escalate in the future.

"Such commitments are an essential investment in the future of our area and we have asked Council to take this on board in future budget discussions.

"However, the adoption of the Town Centres Development Support Program is a positive step, one which the Peninsula Chamber welcomes, and we look forward to working collaboratively with the Council."





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