What has the Committee being doing on behalf of the membership and community?
On a recent visit to a village retail business with the purpose of sharing information about the Chamber hosted Christmas Shopping Night event being on Thursday, 12 December 2019 from 5pm to 8pm, I received some valuable feedback. It spoke to the lack of visability on what the Chamber Committee has been doing since our AGM earlier in the year in August. We are a team of volunteers who like you, no doubt, have very busy work and family lives. However, I will do my best to summarise activity during September and October committee meetings, Mayoral Reference Group meeting, Christmas Shopping Night planning meetings and the scarce time between meetings.
In the New Year the Committee will publish its targetted priorities to achieve before our next AGM in August 2020!
In the New Year the Committee will publish its targetted priorities to achieve before our next AGM in August 2020!
Key activity from AGM in August 2019 to present:
For me, it would be most rewarding to have some kind of magical technology that would provide a view into how our local businesses are helping other local businesses. It may include the generous sharing of referrals, expertise, skills or simply morale support. I am certain this activity is going largely unseen or recognised all the time. It promotes business community cohensiveness for mutual benefit and also our wider local community. I am left pondering on how we could capture our business stories to inspire ourselves through tough times and remembering to celebrate growth?
Lesley Lewis
President 2019-2020
- The Christmas Shopping Night event planning team met on 11/09, 02/10. 16/10, 30/10 and time of writing will meet on 13/11, 27/11 and 04/12. A tremendous amount of energy and volunteer hours are being expended by the sub-committee to ensure this Chamber hosted annual event is once again a night much enjoyed by local families, community members, visitors and a boost to our local village retail businesses on Thursday evening, 12 December 2019. The A3 and A4 posters have been printed and scheduled for distribution to village businesses two weeks before our event. The annual associated "Elf on Shelf" competition will commence mid-November.
- In September, following the AGM on 21/08/2019, the Chamber lodged its Annual Statement with NSW Fair Trading before the due date. The Chamber also reviewed and renewed its Public Liability insurance for another 12 months.
- The Committee watched and discussed a video produced by NSW Business Chamber on proposed changes to its Constitution in November 2019. This video also outlined significant changes to the NSW Chamber network which the Committee will discuss further as more information becomes available.
- The Committee approved the purchase and sale of 3000x SHOP LOCAL brown bags. These are available in bundles of 100 until February 2020 from Annie and Alan at The Turning Page bookshop, after this time a new process will be announced.
- Membership renewal invoicing was completed late this year. However, at time of writing we are happy to report there are 66 members for the 2019-2020 year and new members are welcome. The plan in 2020 is to send out renewal invoices in early June for an early bird incentive payment by 31 July 2020. The Chamber's membership year is now in line with its financial year from 01 July to 30 June.
- In September we welcomed back Julianne Purse (Made In) to the Committee, along with Jim Moutsos (JM Accounting) as the Chamber's Treasurer. We bid Daniel Dreves (Skyward Media, currently on pause) a fond farewell and congratulate him on his fantastic new work opportunity with Tesla (North Sydney) starting in November.
- The village CCTV item has been discussed and is currently on hold with more information being sought from both Government and Council.
- Agendas are created for all Chamber meetings and meetings are fully minuted, along with any expenses incurred such as printing for the Christmas Shopping Night, website hosting, Public Liability insurance renewal and the Shop Local bags.
- Village traffic and parking congestion concerns have been reviewed and potential solutions passed onto Council.
- "Destination Springwood" project has been raised with Council and more on this topic will be reported in the New Year. The Committee's last meeting for 2019 will occur on 15/11/19 and resume in February 2020. However, "work behind the scenes" will continue! For example, the Chamber has an aim to implement a new editorial calendar for better tracking of social media posts on its Facebook pages and Instagram account.
- We encourage members to attend Blue Mountains Regional Chamber networking and business training events as published on its website.
- Springwood and District Chamber is hosting its next networking event on Friday, 22 November (Barefoot Bowls) at the Springwood Sports Club - all welcome!
- The Chamber has created a "Start A Conversation" on its website homepage - if you would like the Committee to consider a subject that concerns our business community or villages, please use this feature!
- The Manager for Development and Planning and her team prepared the Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement - a 20 year plan for land use titled "Blue Mountains 2040 Living Sustainably".
- There have been public sessions held in Katoomba and Springwood and also online forums facilitated by Council. This draft statement is on public exhibition from 30 September 2019 to 15 November 2019.
- I highly recommend all members and non-members to become familiar with this document which is on display at our Springwood Library or click on the first link below. It contains a wealth of research, observations, implementation plans, Council priorities and community consultation outcomes. The deadline to provide feedback or formal submissions to Council is 15 November 2019.
- bluemountainshaveyoursay.com.au/localplanningstatement
- https://yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/
For me, it would be most rewarding to have some kind of magical technology that would provide a view into how our local businesses are helping other local businesses. It may include the generous sharing of referrals, expertise, skills or simply morale support. I am certain this activity is going largely unseen or recognised all the time. It promotes business community cohensiveness for mutual benefit and also our wider local community. I am left pondering on how we could capture our business stories to inspire ourselves through tough times and remembering to celebrate growth?
Lesley Lewis
President 2019-2020