COVID-19 Gunnedah: councillors unanimously vote to adopt COVID-19 business support package

Councillors unanimously voted at Wednesday's ordinary council meeting to adopt the Gunnedah Shire Community Resilience - COVID-19 Business Support Package in order to help local businesses through the COVID-19 crisis.

There were questions about how business owners would prove they were in need of assistance, but the council's director of planning and environmental services, Andrew Johns, quashed these concerns, saying he didn't think it would be "difficult for businesses to determine their eligibility".

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The $1.6 million package will be split into two parts: the first to support business owners now; and the second as a recovery package once the worst is over.

During the meeting, Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey listed a number of the 'now' measures he thought would be particularly beneficial.

These included a reduction in business fees; the freezing of interest accrual against rates, fees and charges by application; an additional round of the Business Partner Program, and the promotion and support of local employment and local spending.

Cr Chaffey, as well as Cr Ann Luke and Cr Rob Hooke, congratulated council staff and for their work on the package.

Namoi Valley Bricks owner Michael Broekman told the NVI it was great that the council was "trying to keep our people in jobs and trying to keep the businesses and services in town for the long term".

"It is hard times and as a business owner, we are looking at our operation and making sure that we can source as much product locally as we can and encourage every business to do likewise," Mr Broekman said.

"It is so important that we try and support each other through this and we just have to join together to make sure we can all get through it to the other side."

The council is yet to expand on the recovery package's details.

The support package can be viewed for free through the April council papers via http://www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au/index.php/council/council-information/council-committee-meetings