Council allocates $106K to help small businesses

Published on 30 April 2021

Twenty-seven small businesses will share more than $106,000 after Corangamite Shire Council boosted its Small Business Assistance Program with extra COVID-19 recovery funds.

At its monthly meeting this week, Council voted to repurpose an unallocated $56,311 from its COVID-19 Economic Stimulus and Support Program.

Deputy Mayor Jo Beard said Council was pleased to support businesses that together employed hundreds of Shire residents.

“Council is very proud of our Small Business Assistance Program which gives our residents an incentive to start or grow their business and strengthen the wider Shire economy.

“It’s even more important after the difficult year caused by the pandemic. The fact so many businesses are looking to the future is certainly heartening.”

Cr Beard said there were 48 applicants in all, proposing more than $800,000 in total works.

“Interest far exceeded what we had in the Budget, but we managed to re-allocate funding from the COVID-19 Economic Stimulus and Support Package.

“That allowed us to support an additional 13 businesses with their projects.”

Officers will continue to work with any businesses that were unsuccessful to provide feedback, opportunities for improvement, business mentorship and other forms of nonfinancial support.

“It’s incredible when you hear about the dollar terms of what a small amount of money can then be turned into in the long term.

“Even the applicants that missed out were still proposing some great projects and I’m glad to hear that the Economic Development team will continue to work with those applicants to hopefully be in the mix next time around.”

For more information about the program, call Council’s Economic Development team on 5593 7100.

The recipients

Small Business Assistance part 1: $47,277.97 (exc.GST) from Budget allocation

Business Name

Town

Amount

Project Description

Bellarine Redgum

Timboon

$4,719.10

Equipment for new mobile service.

Café on Curdie

Cobden

$1,305.92

Equipment for new outdoor eating area.

Cain Chandley Bricklaying

Simpson

$1,068.18

Equipment to expand service offering.

Catherine Jenkins

South Purrumbete

$2,449.50

Equipment for new business start-up.

Down South Crutching

Ecklin South

$1,136

Equipment to enable mobile service.

Engineer It

Timboon

$2,852.28

Equipment to support service expansion.

Ethical Strength

Port Campbell

$5,000

Construction of deck as first stage of area development.

Great Ocean Road Woollen Mill

Ecklin South

$5,000

Machinery to enable increased production.

Matt Clarke Gardening Services

Terang

$5,000

Machinery to expand service offering.

Mint Body and Beauty

Camperdown

$1,297

Equipment to provide new services.

Southwest Ultrasound

Terang

$5,000

Specialised equipment to improve operations and increase service availability.

The Shed

Noorat

$2,450

Construction of new outdoor eating area and seating.

Twelve Apostles Port Campbell B&B

Port Campbell

$5,000

Purchase and installation of items for accessible accommodation.

Yarra Timber Salvage Pty Ltd

Lismore

$5,000

Building improvements to support new product supply.

Small Business Assistance part 2: $59,033.17 (exc.GST) from the remaining $2,722.03 Budget allocation, with a further $56,311.14 (exc. GST) from unallocated COVID-19 Economic Stimulus program.

Business Name

Caprotek

Weerite

$3,743.08

Equipment to increase product imports and exports.

Desire Body & Beauty

Cobden

$5,000

Refurbishment of building to allow for expansion of services.

Foodworks Lismore

Lismore

$5,000

Equipment to improve operations and product availability.

Greavesys Fruit n Veg

Terang

$5,000

Equipment to expand local product range.

Milk and Honey

Timboon

$5,000

Equipment for new business start-up.

Nick Hose Fitness

Camperdown

$5,000

Equipment to provide new service.

Rustic Tarts Food

Camperdown

$1,544.91

Equipment to support business growth and increased output.

Showcase Jewellers

Camperdown

$5,000

Equipment to provide new service.

Sow & Piglets

Port Campbell

$4,787

Equipment to enable the manufacture of new products.

Terang Motor Inn

Terang

$4,508.18

Refurbishments to improve accommodation.

The Loaf and Lounge

Camperdown

$5,000

Equipment to provide expansion of services.

Thommos Hotel

Cobden

$5,000

Refurbishments to increase accommodation.

Western District Newspapers

Camperdown

$4,450

Purchase and development of an online platform.