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Local Government Areas as Business Enablers – through supportive business policy.

I was so happy to be asked to be a presenter at the recent virtual Australian Regional Tourism Convention, my first time ever, I was nervous but excited. The caliber of people that were presenters was fantastic and I was feeling like a fish out of water, however put my best foot forward and created a presentation titled: Local Government Areas as Business Enablers – through supportive business policy.

So today I am putting this up as my blog post, I wanted to answer two questions during my presentation; WHY should LGA’s play a role? and WHAT policy and strategy makers should consider and include when developing supportive business documents?

LGA’s can provide these services through establishing policies that help to support the Shire, their businesses, their residents and their visitors. LGA’s need to take ownership of how they can be supportive and enable businesses to be established, develop and thrive in their area.

Where can Local Government Area’s to start?

Firstly, LGA’s need to know and engage their local community

  • What are the needs and wants of the community?
  • What gaps are there in industry and business and what opportunities are arising?

LGA’s need to know where they are and where you want to be

  • An LGA needs to complete a detailed SWOT analysis to show areas of growth or decline, to gain a real up to date picture of the current state of the area. This will help to shape what needs to be looked at, questioned, and outcomes needed to be considered by LGA’s. This should also be in collaboration with businesses and other stakeholders. LGA’s need to work out how they can address the downfalls and fill the gaps using policies and strategies as a tool to start this process.

Know your market

  • Who is visiting, what do they need and want when they are here?
  • From the Tourism perspective LGA’s have the capacity and ability to directly impact the experiences of a destination, play a role in engaging the community and creating a positive image and impression that a destination has on tourists.
  • Thus, driving economic growth into a Shire.

Focus on realistic goals

  • LGA’s need to have aspirations and bigger picture goals but have to have a path that is achievable to get to these. Having short term and long-term goals is necessary this helps to show progress, that works are being completed, projects are being planned and the LGA is moving forward. Using developed strategies is a handy way to communicate these to residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

What policies?

LGAs could create policies for everything, however to enable and support businesses they also need to be realistic, have achievable outcomes and be in real time – by which I mean be realistic to what the LGA offers, can offer, has the ability to offer. The policies also need regular reviewing and updating as the world changes so do the needs and demands of a policy.

I have narrowed down my list to include the following:

Tourism Policy

  • Ensuring Tourism operators are thought of in terms of economic growth and strategy development is very important, the tourist dollar is remarkable.
  • Growth in tourism businesses needs to be included. Having an LGA that is supportive and welcomes growth in this area is progressive, encouraging and needed especially at the moment as travel movement is increasing and regional towns are gaining more tourist traffic.
  • Developing ideas, assisting tourism operators build their product, is an important aspect to consider in this policy.
  • Events, visitor services, sporting tourism and inclusive tourism are also important elements for consideration in a tourism policy.

Industrial Area and Sale of Land Policies

  • These policies need to consider – growth of industry in a Shire
  • Selling land and building business opportunities within an LGA
  • These policies encompass many other elements for example including development application processes, sub division opportunities, industry opportunities etc.

Local Procurement Policy

  • Ensuring local businesses are included in the Tender/Procurement process in regional LGAs  is very important, to keep those dollars local where feasible

Destination Management Strategy

  • Considers the Visitor Economy
  • The priorities for an LGA
  • Developing what are the experiences, activities, attractions in the region are and how they can deliver, upgrade or improve to meet changing times.
  • Signage can be considered within this strategy – an audit of current signs and what is missing
  • Resources available (for example transport)
  • Amenities and facilities including accommodation
  • Arts, cultural, natural environment, heritage, history all need to be considered.
  • Marketing initiatives for the future

Economic Development Strategy

  • Needs to have realistic, achievable goals and outcomes
  • Developing mentoring programs can be considered
  • Enabling business development (grass root business ideas to develop)
  • How to drive and grow business and industry to the area
  • Performance measures and monitoring guidelines need to be included so that the strategy    can be held accountable

An LGA needs to have a well-informed, achievable Tourism and Economic Development Strategic Plan to map out how tourism can grow and develop an area in the short and long term.

Policies or Strategies need to….

  • Assist and support the local economy, local businesses and industry
  • Invest in the local destination and help to illuminate the experiences and offerings a place provides
  • Explore and enhance the culture, art and heritage – ensuring respect and preservation of sites, landmarks and practices with an LGA through cultural planning is adhered to
  • Building profiles and partnerships – LGA’s are able to have conversations with other agencies and government bodies, destination networks etc. The ability to collaborate with neighbouring LGA’s, build tourism offerings, product and experiences driving tourism growth to the whole region;
  • Policies and strategies also need to consider – seeking grants for infrastructure, events and tourism initiatives, also on the flip side LGA’s providing funding and grant programs;
  • Upkeep the links between places, keeping connectivity with areas including planning road development, digital, telecommunications, air, bus, train connections; All very important considerations for LGA areas in enabling business growth
  • Playing a role in the decision making and helping to identify investment and where resources should be allocated. Investment into the local economy to ensure sustainability – attracting new business, helping start-ups etc.
  • An LGA needs to be well-informed and well equipped with workable strategies and policies to ensure strong economic growth
  • Policies also need to be fair and equitable and in the best interests of the Shire, its industry, its businesses and its residents.

How can we build policies and strategies that help – not hinder growth or increase red tape, polices that help to minimise the space between the ideas and real life and make business and economic growth happen! I believe that policies and strategies that help an LGA enable and support businesses they have to encompass the following:

  • Policies need to REALaslitic
  • Policies need to be in REAL TIME
  • Policies need to be adaptable to changing conditions
  • Policies need to support and elevate potential within the LGA

Photo Credit – Narrandera Tourism