Council recognises the uncertainty many businesses across the Northern Beaches are experiencing at this moment.

Business Support Package 

So we have developed a business support plan, which was presented 17 March by the Mayor and CEO to five local Chamber of Commerce presidents and endorsed by Council on 24 March.

Our priority is to ensure the local business community feels supported, is well informed and knows where and how to access advice, financial support and practical resources.

The business support plan includes a package of measures, which include waivers for six months on outdoor dining, food health on premises and fire safety fees as well as more flexible and pragmatic arrangements for supplier deliveries to supermarkets and parking for take-away pickups.

The package will bring cost savings to local businesses of approximately $1.2 million.

Highlights

• Fee waivers for six months on outdoor dining and footpath merchandise
• Fee waivers for six months on food and other health on premises and fire safety fees
• More flexible and pragmatic arrangements for supplier deliveries to supermarkets and parking for take-away pickups
• Assistance to help businesses connect with customers, including help with social media marketing and ‘shop local’ initiatives.

Outdoor dining areas

• Due to current restrictions, outdoor dining fees are being suspended for a 6 month period with effect from 1 April 2020.
• Affected business will not receive invoices from Council during this period.

To help the public understand and adhere to restrictions, please remove all furniture from outdoor dining areas. We appreciate your cooperation.

Hardship assistance for Council fees and other charges

Businesses, groups and individuals who are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the issues with COVID-19 in relation to the payment of fees and other charges (other than rates) should contact our Council Team as detailed on Council’s invoice.

Council will give consideration to extending payment terms or other payment arrangements. Council will compassionately review all situations on a case-by-case basis and be as flexible as possible in extending arrangements during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Other assistance 

Also, we will assist local businesses to find new ways to connect with customers. This includes helping businesses with social media marketing and promoting ‘shop local’ initiatives.

Council will draw upon its relationship with State Government agencies to continue to provide advice and support to our local businesses, including NSW Government business advisory provider, Realise Business, who are running an upcoming webinar on Small Business Interruption as a result of COVID -19.

With local economic conditions changing rapidly, Council will continue to look at ways to support local businesses and scale-up our responses, where necessary.

We will continue to meet regularly with the business chambers and send updates to keep the business community informed.

With a database of over 10,000 local businesses, we will continue to regularly update on Government advice and support for business on COVID-19.

This includes updating local businesses on health advice for their employees and customers, as well as opportunities to access financial support through the Federal and NSW State Government economic stimulus packages (see details below).

Doing takeaway?
We can help your café/restaurant get set-up to do takeaway.

1. Update your details with us.
2. Do the self-assessment so that you're all set and meet the regulations for doing takeaway.
3. Email us both forms.
4. We'll send you helpful news and updates.

Call us on 1300 434 434 if you need more help or visit our website.

Keep engaging customers
Your online presence is more important than ever. Even though you might be closed or working in a different way, keep posting great content on social media to tell customers what you're up to, and remind them you are still there and waiting for them. There's plenty of advice and tips from business.gov.au.

Facebook offering $1m in grants
Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries. Find our more from Facebook.

ATO webinars
Access free webinars for small businesses. Each one is 45-60 min and covers industry specific and general information.

Cyber security
It's important you ensure good cyber security measures when going online. Protect you and vulnerable members of the community.

COVID 19 relief for businesses from banks
Many banks are offering a small business relief package to help businesses stay viable. Includes deferring payments, waiving fees, charges and penalties and deferring upcoming payments.

Financial assistance for individuals out of work
A number of changes to payment have been made to help those needing income support including Jobseeker allowance, rent assistance and other payments.

Doing business with Council
If you do business with Council, please make sure you update us if the current restrictions will affect the performance of your services. We will work with you to ensure the best outcome for all. Read more

Tourism Industry

Several resources are available via our state and federal government tourism agencies to support the tourism sector.

• Industry & Financial Support - Tourism Australia has a hub on it's website to help tourism businesses make sense of financial support available due to COVID 19.
• Weekly webinars - Register for Tourism Australia's weekly webinars and connect with industry and other businesses.
• Updates and resources - Desination NSW.

Federal Government Stimulus Package

The Federal Government Economic Stimulus Package focuses on keeping Australians in jobs and helping small businesses stay in business.

With 98% of our 32,000 registered businesses classified as small (employing less than 20 staff), there are a range of stimulus and support available to our small business community.

First package highlights:

• $17.6 billion economic support package
• increasing the instant asset write off
• backing business investment by providing accelerated depreciation deductions
• supporting apprentices and trainees
• targeted support for Coronavirus-affected regions and communities

Second package highlights:

• $66.1 second economic support package
• Up to $100,000 for small and medium sized businesses, and not for-profits that employ people, with a minimum payment of $20,000 to help boost cashflow
• Accessing working capital under the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme
• Providing temporary relief for financially distressed business temporarily increasing the threshold at which creditors can issue a statutory demand on a company and the time companies have to respond to statutory demands they receive.

For further assistance, call the Federal Government helpline for businesses Impacted by COVID-19 on 13 28 46. It's open 7 days, 7am-11pm.

State Government Stimulus Package

NSW stimulus package to support businesses. 

First package highlights:

• $1.6 billion in tax relief for small businesses to help save jobs as the state braces for the economic impact of the virus
• $450 million to waive payroll tax for the next three months for businesses with payrolls of up to $10 million
• $80 million to waiver range of fees and charges for small businesses including bars, cafes, restaurants and trades people.

Second package highlights:

• $750 million stimulus package
• Deferral of payroll tax for business with payrolls over $10 million for six months (up to $4 billion deferred).
• Addition three-month deferral (total six months) of payroll tax for businesses with payrolls of $10 million or less (three-month waiver included in the first package)
• Gaming tax for clubs, pubs and hotels and lotteries tax deferred for 6 months, on the condition the extra cash allowed them to keep staff on.
• State Government’s parking space levy deferred for 6 months
• Small commercial businesses, with less than 20 employees, which lease Government-owned buildings would also have their rental payments deferred for 6 months.

National Restrictions 

The federal and state government have extended restrictions previously announced, including closing several types of businesses, in an attempt to encourage more effective social distancing and slow the spread of COVID-19 in Australia.  

The following may remain open with restrictions, including adhering to the four square meters per person rule and 1.5 meter social distancing:

• restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery
• health-related and allied health services (e.g. physiotherapy).
• hairdressers and barbers
• markets
• outdoor excersise (max 2 people)
• funerals (max 10 people)
• weddings (no more than 5 people)
• shopping centres (retail other than what is noted below).

The following types of business must stay closed:

• beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spa and massage parlours
• tattoo parlours
• food courts in shopping centres (takeaway only)
• pubs and licenced clubs
• health clubs, gyms, yoga studios, swimming pools and indoor sporting venues
• cinemas and night clubs
• places of religious gathering
• auction houses
• real estate open houses
• amusement arcades and play centres.

For full list and further information visit the Australian Government

Is your business going online?

If you are increasing your focus on your online business or making the move to online it's important you have good cyber security measures in place to protect you and vulnerable members of the community. Find out more

Financial assistance for individuals out of work

If you have had to let employees go or stand them down temporarily, there are a number of changes to payment that have been made to help those needing income support.  Help available including Newstart allowance, rent assistance and other payments. Find out more. 

COVID 19 relief for businesses from banks

Many banks are offering a small business relief package to help them stay viable. Features includes deferring payments, waiving fees, charges and penalties and deferring upcoming payments. Find out more.

Register for updates

We encourage businesses to register for regular updates on the Business News page