Gatha cash chase

LEONGATHA’S peak business group would welcome secretariat support from South Gippsland Shire Council, similar to the service council now provides to the Korumburra Round Table.

The newly rebadged Leongatha Business Association, formerly the Leongatha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has rejected a process now underway by council to gauge the community’s interest in forming a round table type network in Leongatha, like the Korumburra Round Table.

Business association president Brenton Williams said, “If they (council) gave us the secretariat support that the Korumburra Round Table receives, then we could do heaps more.”

Council provides approximately one day per month of officer time to the role, equating to approximately $3600 over a year.

The business association was not represented at a council meeting held last Thursday night to consult the public about its interest in a new Leongatha network.

However it’s not just the association that is not interested, with just three members of the public attending, outnumbered by the five councillors and council staff present.

Mr Williams said a new network was not needed in Leongatha as the business association was already working with many groups and was integral to the Leongatha Daffodil and Dairy Street Festival on Saturday, September 1.

“At the moment the daffodil festival is dealing with 20 different groups and the business association liaises with Rotary, Lions and all the other service groups as well, so it is pointless to do what we are doing, but with shire funding,” he said.

Mr Williams pondered if a new network would erect Christmas decorations in Leongatha each year and run the daffodil festival – roles now undertaken by business association and other volunteers. He said association secretary Jodie Clarkson dedicates at least three hours a week to her volunteer role.

“The business association is going really strong at the moment. We are having our first networking meeting next month where we will invite people and put on food and drinks, and a guest speaker,” Mr Williams said.

“We are kicking a few goals at the moment.”

Council’s community strengthening coordinator Ned Dennis said council has provided secretariat support for the Korumburra Round Table since its inception more than three years ago.

“This assistance has been provided as the round table was initiated by council, with the express advice to the groups invited to form the round table that council would provide this support,” he said.

“The expectation has been that the round table would take over this function once well established, and whilst the time required from a council officer to play this role has reduced significantly over the last year, some level of regular support is still provided.

“The community strengthening team commits approximately one day per month of officer time to this role at present, which equates to approximately $3600 over a full year.

“Council has not made any decision to provide secretariat support for a similar group if established for Leongatha, but is aware that similar support might be required for some time if a new Leongatha leadership network is established.”

The chamber was renamed and a new logo created to be more modern and inclusive of shops, tradespeople and business people of the industrial estate.

Guiding Leongatha: from left, attending the Leongatha network meeting held by South Gippsland Shire Council last Thursday were Eunice Donovan, Cr Maxine Kiel, Marion Dewar, Tenille Bentley, council’s business development officer Melinda McLennan and mayor Cr Lorraine Brunt.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Aug 14 2018. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry