Burwood Cares for Business

Council has endorsed a wide range of initiatives to support our local businesses during these challenging times.

These include: 

• Introducing the Burwood Cares program to provide updates and help connect our local community and businesses with Council services and links to other agency programs and services.
• Waiving all mandatory health inspection fees for the next six months, including an increase to the grace period for ticketed and timed parking to 15 minutes, and concentrating on situations that present a health or safety risk.
• Conducting a comprehensive review of all fees and charges to determine those that could be adjusted during the next six months and provide a report at the next Council meeting.
• Continuing to increase cleansing and booked clean-ups.
• Reviewing the Rates and Charges Hardship Assistance Policy to ensure the most equitable assessment is performed in the event of unpaid rates by residents and businesses.
• Adopting a flexible and pragmatic approach to enforcement and compliance action for the next six months.
• Providing a 3-month credit to all businesses who have paid a licence for outdoor dining for 2019/20, once business returns to normal.
• Implementing an appropriate rent relief package for cafés, sporting facilities and childcare centres where Council is the landlord, with further assessment and implementation on relief measures as needed.
• Developing a dedicated section on Council’s website for information and resources for businesses, including links to the Federal Government’s stimulus package and any support package provided by the NSW Government.
• Publishing a dedicated web page for restaurants and cafes to promote what they offer so locals can support them.
• Increasing Council’s processing and payment of invoices to suppliers to a weekly basis, to guarantee cash flow for our business partners.
• Writing to the Minister for Local Government, the Premier of NSW, the Federal Member for Reid and the State Member for Strathfield to urge consideration of financial support for NSW councils in the delivery of these much needed essential services.

As part of the Burwood Cares effort, Council has prepared a fact sheet highlighting practical support and advisory programs from the Federal, State and Local Governments, your Council as well as other agency support.

Go to Government Services

New Measures to Support Small Business Announced

On 13 July 2021 The Australian and NSW Governments announced new measures to support small businesses during the current NSW lockdown.

These include:

• Increased small business support payments of $7,500 and $10,500 or $15,000, depending on the decline in business turnover
• A “JobSaver” employee retention scheme providing cashflow support to businesses to help them retain staff. The cash boost will be up to 40% of weekly payroll with a payment of between $1,500 to a maximum of $10,000 per week, provided staffing levels are maintained at the level as of 13 July 2021. Non-employing businesses are eligible for $1,000 per week
•  $1,500 grants per fortnight for microbusinesses (annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000) that have suffered at least a 30% decline in turnover.
• Payroll tax deferrals for all businesses and a 25% concession for medium-sized businesses that have suffered a 30% revenue decline
• A requirement on landlords to participate in mediation before taking actions to evict or lock out tenants
• Up to 100% land tax concessions for commercial landlords who provide rent relief
• A $75 million support package for the performing arts sector to be administered by Create NSW
• A support package for the accommodation sector worth $26 million
• An increase in the payment amount for stood down workers from $500 to $600 per week for those who lost more than 20 hours, and to $375 for those who lost between 8 and 20 hours, and for it to be available to workers outside of the Greater Sydney lockdown areas
• Expanded mental health services with programs targeted at young people and CALD communities

More information is available here.

The support measures announced today again emphasise the importance of small business to the NSW economy and our communities.   

The Commission will continue to provide key support services during this difficult time which include mediation services to help resolve disputes. A focus for the Commission over the coming weeks will be to work with landlords and tenants to avoid “lockouts”.  We know it is a difficult time for many small businesses and landlords, but as the last 18 months has shown mediation has been highly effective in resolving disputes. 

Read more information on mediation and how it can help.

Council has put together a list of food focused online platforms that promote local restaurants and cafes through listing their takeaway and home delivery services. 

Get your business listed and sign up to their alerts to get ideas of what other businesses are doing.

Broadsheet
Broadsheet has a Live List of restaurants and cafés that are available for takeaways and home delivery.

Get listed: directory@broadsheet.com.au

The Daily Telegraph and News Local 
The Daily Telegraph and News Local is offering all businesses the opportunity to let readers know that you are still operating and how you are coping in these challenging times suburb by suburb. 

Get listed: Submit your business details online

Time In
Time Out has introduced Time In, a hub for every way people can engage with the city from the comfort of their own home. If your venue is offering an initiative, we’d like to know about it.

Get listed: Email matthew.hirsch@timeout.com

Urban List 
Tell Urban List about your fabulous food and any special deals as they are updating a list of restaurants, cafes and bars doing home delivery, takeaways and gift cards. 

Get listed: Email editorsyd@theurbanlist.com

New Impressions (Chinese)
New Impressions is a Chinese media outlet that is supportive of Burwood local businesses. If you would like to reach out to your Chinese customers, their WeChat channel can help you connect.

Get listed: Contact hello@newimpressions.com.au

FairFoodie

A new digital marketplace is giving Aussie producers a new home to connect with consumers seeking food and beverage products grown or made in their own backyard. This platform allows vendors to sign up free of charge and create their own personalised digital shopfront. However, producers have the option of directing customers to their own web stores, or for a nominal 5% processing fee, utilise Fair Foodie’s shopping platform (powered by PayPal) for shoppers to place orders directly.

 Get listed:Submit your business details online 

Stay up to date with news and what decisions impact your business, visit:

• the coronavirus page on the NSW Health website

• the COVID-19 health alert page on the Federal Department of Health website.