Geelong Residents and Ratepayers Association have slammed the creation of a “pointless and wasteful” body to stimulate the local economy.
Councillors agreed this week to establish the $1.1 million Enterprise Geelong, part of Mayor Keith Fagg’s election platform.
GRRA president Andrew Senia said it appeared Enterprise Geelong would compete with other bodies seeking to achieve similar aims.
“It is not the role of council to compete with existing bodies or overlap their work. That is pointless and wasteful,” Mr Senia said.
“There are several other groups in Geelong which exist to promote Geelong, some of which the council is already associated with.”
Mr Senia asked if council would withdraw its financial support of bodies like the Committee for Geelong, G21, and Places Victoria to avoid doubling up.
He said the costs of Enterprise Geelong would be much higher than just creating a $250,000 executive director role.
“That figure does not take into account allowances, staff premises and other overheads. The end figure will be a lot more, to be funded by ratepayers.”
Mr Senia questioned the “realisable value” Enterprise Geelong would offer balanced by its overall costs.
“The role of council is to facilitate and assist enterprise in and to Geelong in conjunction with others.
“The infrastructure already exists to do this and it need not cost the ratepayers an additional cent. What appears to be missing is cohesion and common sense.
“We had better get this one right before the ratepayer is slugged for even more money.”
A report to council said Enterprise Geelong would absorb the existing economic development unit and its $879,037 budget.
The report said additional funding of $266,510 was needed for Enterprise Geelong, with a total budget of $1,145,547.
“On-going recurrent funding will be considered in the 2013/14 budget process. This indicative budget does not include any office fit-out that may be required,” the report said.
Cr Fagg said Enterprise Geelong would bring a fresh, innovative and focused approach to greater Geelong’s economic development.
“In establishing Enterprise Geelong the Council is signalling the high priority we place on sustainable employment growth and business investment in our region,” he said.
“Enterprise Geelong represents a ‘sea change’ in the way we do business, manage accounts and facilitate potential opportunities. It will symbolise a major shift in emphasis and style, making it clear to all that Geelong means business.”
