POLICY

Date: 03/06/2021

Policy Intent

This policy document is a living and dynamic document with the intended purpose of guiding and directing the Yass Valley Business Chamber’s Government Advocacy. This policy document may be updated and varied by a committee majority. Variations are to be based off the relevant committee minutes. The variation is as per the date on the page.

Important Documents

• Southern Tablelands Regional Economic Development Strategy 2018-2022
• The Tablelands Regional Community Strategic Plan 2016-2036
• Yass Valley Settlement Strategy 2036
• Local Strategic Planning Statement
• ACT-NSW Memorandum of Understanding for Regional Collaboration
• Yass commercial Precinct Study
• Yass Main Street Strategy 2014
• Yass Valley Business Chamber – Yass Main Street Community Workshop Action Plan

Policy

1. All political perspectives are respected and an apolitical approach will be taken with the aim of developing political consensus;
2. Fostering an environment that encourages existing businesses to grow and new businesses to setup within the Yass Valley;
3. Attracting and supporting new businesses to relocate and setup within the Yass Valley;
4. Ongoing engagement with Yass Valley Business Chamber;
5. Establish a marketing and advertising budget for the promotion of Yass Valley to capture new business and residents;
6. Improved Council customer service;
7. Improved resourcing of Council staff including employing more professionally qualified staff that live within Yass Valley;
8. Introduce and maintain performance objectives and targets for Council’s Executive Management Team that are reviewed on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis;
9. Establishing a dedicated grants team in Council;
10. Establishing a project dedicated team for delivering Council’s assets and major infrastructure projects;
11. Prioritising Council’s resources, planning and investment as per the Yass Valley Settlement Strategy 2036;
12. Refocus growth and economic development to Yass as the Major town of the Yass Valley;
13. Improving the water quality of Yass Town water supply;
14. Focus on implementing and keeping up-to-date all planning and engineering work to support the economic growth and development of Yass Valley including completing all strategies, masterplans, action plans, control plans;
15. Improve Development Application and Construction Certificate processing and approval times;
16. Timely delivery of the main street masterplan, action plans;
17. Support the Civic Precinct Project with focus of attracting government departments and/or large business tenants;
18. Preventing the Civic Precinct Project from negatively impacting or competing with existing businesses in Yass;
19. Ensuring that meetings such as the Economic Development Committee meet regularly and progress work;
20. Establishment of a 355 committee(s) to support Council in its decision making processes on important issues such as but not limited to: Hawthorn, Parkwood, Improving Water Quality, Barton Highway Duplication, Civic Centre Precinct, Main Street Masterplan;
21. The Yass Valley Business Chamber will be consulted with on list of appropriate candidates for the formation of a 355 committee(s).