Fees Waived for Retail Footpath Permits
Council will waive fees for retail footpath permits as part of an approach to support local businesses.
Council issues footpath permits to 25 businesses in Port Pirie and Crystal Brook for retail purposes such as clothing racks, shop displays and outdoor dining. At Wednesday night’s Ordinary Meeting, Council voted to waive the retail permit fees for 2020 and beyond, saving businesses hundreds of dollars per year.
Stage 1 of the Port Pirie CBD upgrade activated the streetscape and improved amenities including outdoor space for cafes and restaurants, benches, landscaping and other features. Outdoor dining is seen as a catalyst to drive positive economic development and add to the vibrancy of the CBD upgrade.
Council staff are reviewing the multi-layered processes the community and businesses are required to comply with to aim to reduce red tape and make the process of using Council land simpler. This includes everything from outdoor dining through to large community events and park bookings for weddings, with the results of the review to be presented to Council in the near future.
One of the review’s findings was to waive the permit fees for retail footpath permits. Businesses are still required to hold a footpath permit which requires them to provide Public Liability Insurance and sign a renewal form. Only the fee component will be waived until further notice.
Port Pirie Regional Council is a proud member of Business Port Pirie and is signed up to the Small Business Charter, showing support for small to medium enterprises in our region.