Local Government Business Priorities

SCBC aligns its priorities with consideration to the Sunshine Coast Regional Councils focus on issues relating to economic development, business growth and sustainability. We are particularly keen to work with local government on the following longer term challenges:

• Planning for diversification of the Sunshine Coast business sectors while continuing to support existing business, thereby:
• reducing the region's reliance on tourism, retail and construction sectors;
• managing selective population growth consistent with planned economic development and selective business diversification to enable better control of the locations, style and nature of developments;
• Encouraging government to undertake a regional workforce planning study that will include the identification of current and future critical jobs and skills shortage in line with planned economic development, business growth and sustainability; and
• Supporting local government in reconciling its agenda for environmental sustainability with the region's need for business growth and diversification.

SCBC Focus for 2010

In this calendar year the focus is on demonstrating our - One Vision. One Voice. and Open For Business - philosophies.

Below are the activities we will be focussing on in 2010 to improve our interaction with the business community are:

• Introducing a new membership and sponsorship structure to encourage greater participation from business regardless of industry or size;
• Introducing more events , networking and feedback functions;
• Collaborating with other industry groups to increase the regional industry and business information flow to members;
• Continuing to improve our communications with governments to ensure our voice is relevant and heard; and
• Improving the quality of the current website and then in the second half of the year relaunching the SCBC website so that it becomes a rich source of information and communication with and between members.

In addition to the above, SCBC will continue its work to influence Local Government business priorities and drive the agendas around regional business investment and employment growth.

We will advise more detail on each of these activities and the supporting projects as we progress through the year.