Have Your Say - Renewing Our Business Community

Consultation has concluded for this phase of engagement, and future engagement opportunities are being planned for 2023 to support local business renewal.

UPDATE – 30 August 2022

Council’s Economic Development Team recently held three Business Renewal Forum sessions, in Nimbin, Lismore and online. We appreciate input from local businesses, chambers and government agency representatives who participated in these constructive discussions, with special thanks to Facilitator Jane Laverty, Regional Director Northern Rivers, Business NSW. This phase of engagement concluded 19 August 2022.

We estimate that over 40 businesses attended forum sessions, and received online input from 36 business representatives. While we know from other direct engagement with the business community (e.g. outreach visits, incoming requests, other surveys) there is much need for support, promotion and activities that benefit local flood-affected businesses, we are also mindful of engagement fatigue, focus on essential recovery and business priorities, and overall wellbeing for the community. Insights gained through engagement to date are all valuable, and will inform appropriate actions and be built upon when we circle back and seek more input in early 2023.

LEARNING & SUPPORT: Of the 36 businesses that provided online input through Your Say Lismore, over half noted they do ‘want education, training, and/or support programs to help support business capabilities’. The following top areas for support included:

• Marketing and advertising, including social media, web-development, online business trends and e-commerce
• Sustainable and ethical business opportunities, including circular economy
• Finance, primarily applying for grant funding (online input) and financial literacy (forum discussion)
• Wellbeing in business, including inspirational speakers along with mental health first aid
• Disaster readiness, including business continuity
• Additionally, networking and mentoring along with workforce development, were identified as top priorities for businesses participating in this engagement phase, which could foreseeably underpin and/or complement support programs offered.

PROMOTIONS & MARKETING:

• At forum sessions, primary ideas raised included:
  • Promotional support for businesses open across Lismore, Nimbin and villages
  • Shop local and Christmas campaigns 2022 and 2023
  • Refresh brand identity and target audiences, encouraging visitation and time enjoyed here
• Of the 36 businesses that provided online input through Your Say Lismore, the top channels identified to most effectively promote and support local businesses were:
  1. Social media
  2. Television and/or radio advertising
  3. Visual materials in the CBD (e.g. banners, signs and electronic billboards).

EVENTS, ACTIVITIES & PLACEMAKING:

• At forum sessions and online, primary ideas raised included:

• Family friendly events
• Major events leveraging key infrastructure (once works complete)
• More and improved signage
• Activate streets and empty buildings (e.g. pop-ups, projections, art, creative and start-up ventures, lighting and greening, beautification and meeting places)
• Make Lismore the ‘go-to-place for Christmas’
• Tourism campaigns and activities celebrating Lismore’s heritage and how we boldly build back better after the floods

• Of the 36 businesses that provided online input through Your Say Lismore, the top events & activities identified included:
  1. Music events and concerts
  2. Cultural activities
  3. Sporting events
  4. Festivals
  5. Arts programs
  6. Markets.

DOING BUSINESS WITH COUNCIL: Primary ideas raised included:

• Fast-tracking processes, customer service and communications (e.g. support with pre-Development Application, contacting relevant staff), and fee considerations for flood impacted operators
• Increasing Council’s resource capacity to speed up key processes that support business establishment and reestablishment
• Master planning the business centres throughout the Local Government Area.

We also acknowledge several other important ideas and issues were raised beyond the scope of these sessions – including flood mitigation, funding support, roads and infrastructure repairs, which have been logged to inform internal and external stakeholders.

For your information, local businesses can also find:

• Business Renewal Forum slides (If viewing on Desktop, please see tab to the right. If on Mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page)
• Government agency fact sheets and contact information to be sent via email to attendees of the forums, and shared on Flood Information page: https://lismore.nsw.gov.au/flood-2022-information
  • Business Connect small business support
  • Digital Solutions – Australian Small Business Advisory Services
  • Strengthening Business fact sheet
  • Workforce Australia information for businesses
  • Launch into Work program flyer
  • My Future Work Force information from Regional Development Australia – Northern Rivers
  • Rural Small Business Financial Counselling
• Engagement visualisations: (If viewing on Desktop, please see tab to the right. If on Mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page)
  • Nimbin Menti poll outcomes
  • Lismore Menti poll outcomes

Background

Lismore City Council ran the Business Renewal Forum sessions and online engagement in collaboration with Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nimbin Chamber of Commerce, Business NSW, Department of Regional NSW, and Regional Development Australia - Northern Rivers. Each forum featured a short presentation, followed by discussion and opportunities to engage with support agencies.

The survey and forum sessions complement other engagement and planning underway across a range of priorities, including (but not limited to) housing, flood response and mitigation, insurance and funding opportunities, and building back better. We value all the engagement our community has contributed to date.