Economic Development Strategy
Future Vision
Roles of Monash City Council and the Business Community
The private sector is the most significant contributor to Monash's economic development. Its primary involvement in developing a business, and hence an economy, is driven by the desire to accumulate wealth.
While recognising these circumstances, Council is committed to playing an active role in achieving economic well-being and quality of life for its community. Council sees its role as that of a key participant in economic development, motivating the private sector to develop business.
Monash is one of a number of key municipalities in Melbourne's South East Region. Council's approach through this Strategy is to develop and support the regional approach advocated by that alliance.
The City of Monash will undertake the following to achieve a thriving and sustainable economy through the Economic Development Strategy:- Make timely decisions relating to controls and regulations that affect investment through flexible government and strong leadership
- Be prepared to assist the expansion of local firms and support investment by new and existing businesses to expand production and increase efficiencies
- Provide high quality services in traditional areas of planning, cleaning, roads, garbage collection and urban infrastructure provision and maintenance
- Introduce planning procedures that offer certainty for investment in the long term and result in high quality development
- Understand emerging business opportunities and threats, and the support needed by Council to facilitate business particularly small business to respond to these
- Respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of business and investors to draw new income from exports and reduce leakages of income through imports and investment of local savings elsewhere
- Recognise and continue to support the work of the Monash Enterprise Centre and investigate the feasibility of an extension to provide an innovative and supportive environment for businesses in the trades or related sectors of the economy
Economic Development Unit
Monash Economic Development Forum
Advice and guidance in providing Council's economic development services will be coordinated through the Monash Economic Development Forum.
Key roles of the Forum will include:- Maintaining a board that is representative of the local business community including new and larger companies in Monash
- Maintaining constant business dialogue with and feedback to Council regarding issues affecting or involving the local business community
- Assisting Council in researching what the business community needs to grow and prosper
- Providing advice to Council on commercial proposals within the municipality and suggesting new projects in which Council should be engaged
- Advising on business advisory services and/or mentoring programs
In working with the private sector towards the achievement of the economic vision for Monash, Council and the Economic Development Forum will focus on eight key strategic actions:
- Providing information and support services to business
- Supporting further education and training
- Encouraging environmental sustainability practices within business
- Supporting a cluster of "high technology enterprises"
- Facilitating new business investment
- Encouraging further growth in Monash's activity centres
- Providing ongoing infrastructure development and management
- Researching and marketing economic development initiatives
Many of the actions require involvement from several different departments of Council. This highlights Council's overall commitment to this Strategy and the adoption of a whole-of-Council approach to its implementation.
Published: 29 October 2007
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