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POSITIVITY: EPLGA President Sam Telfer, Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer and Small Business Commissioner John Chapman at last week's EPLGA board meeting.
Whyalla has been singled out for its small business initiatives, community endeavours and resilience as the city continues on its upward economic path.
The high praise came from Small Business Commissioner John Chapman who was a special guest at the Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association (EPLGA) board meeting. Mayors and council representatives from throughout the Eyre Peninsula were present for the meeting held in Whyalla last week.
Chaired by EPLGA President Sam Telfer, the meeting featured a presentation from Mr Chapman. He gave special mention to the Advancing Whyalla group, the proposed Whyalla business hub and the general direction Whyalla is heading with its economic recovery and initiatives.
“John Chapman was very supportive and positive about the Advancing Whyalla group and the work Council is doing to support small business with its plans to develop a business hub,” Mayor Lyn Breuer said.
“He was very upbeat about Whyalla and all the activity in the city from Council to businesses and individuals.
“To hear this sort of support from the Small Business Commissioner is vindication of the direction we are heading and a future where all small businesses will start to prosper again for the benefit of the whole community.”
Working with Renew Whyalla, Council is developing a small business information hub in the former Civic Library building in Patterson Street.
The Council-sponsored Advancing Whyalla group is currently in the final stages of establishing the Alex Ramsay Community Hub in the old Alex Ramsay Library building. It is being designed as venue for businesses and community groups to utilise for meetings and workshops.
Other business arising at the board meeting included notice of an EPLGA special meeting on council rate capping scheduled for July 13, discussion on an art trail for the Eyre Peninsula, an application for Special Local Roads Program funding, a joint planning board pilot update, a report on the Eyre Peninsula Climate Change agreement and establishing a working party to develop a waste reduction program.
Mayor Breuer said the meeting being held in Whyalla was a good chance to get together with other Eyre Peninsula council representatives.
“It’s not uncommon for many councils on the Eyre Peninsula shared the same issues,” Mayor Breuer said.
“So these meetings not only achieve real results for the whole of the Eyre Peninsula, they are a good chance to connect with other councils and discuss the common issues we have.”
The next EPLGA board meeting will be on September 7 at Wudinna.