Shire plans hospitality help

$1m to be set aside in council budget

BOOSTING overnight stays and assisting “heavily impacted” businesses such as cafes and pubs is set to be at the forefront of driving the Surf Coast’s post-coronavirus economic recovery.

The Surf Coast Shire has revealed plans for providing relief to communities, adopting new COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Guidelines at its council meeting on Tuesday.

The guidelines detail how the council’s proposed $1 million COVID-19 support package will support businesses and communities during the recovery phase.

Mayor Rose Hodge said the guidelines were developed after feedback from trader groups, the broader community and surveys of 381 business es.

“The Recovery Assistance Guidelines lay the foundations for how we can help meet these needs, whether that’s in the next few weeks, months or even years,” she said.

“More details about the funding rounds and application processes will be widely communicated when details are finalised.”

The guidelines will help inform decision-making when allocating funding to future initiatives over the coming months and years, according to the council.

Recovery initiatives may be council-led or, led by the business sector or community, with proposals subject to the guideline’s assessment criteria.

Key criteria for business initiatives includes benefiting sectors hit hard by the pandemic, such as accommodation, facilitating job outcomes and stimulating visitor expenditure.

Community support initiatives will aim to address elements such as strengthening community connections, benefiting disadvantaged residents and improving wellbeing of communities.

Data from the Australian Taxation Office last month showed significant job losses within the Surf Coast Shire due to the coronavirus crisis.

Lorne and Anglesea were hit hardest, leaving 267 residents without work (11.8 per cent of the labour force), making it the 10th worst hit area for percentage of job losses in Australia.

The shire hinterland lost 256 jobs (9.2 per cent) while the Torquay, Jan Juc, Bellbrae area lost 764 jobs (8.6 per cent).

Cr Heather Wellington said the council needed to focus more on job creation to help communities recover.

The guidelines will depend on the adoption of the $1 million COVID-19 support package allocation in the Budget 2020-21, which council will consider next month.