Wodonga Council has awarded a $300,000 tender for a feasibility study into establishing a "business innovation hub" in the city to Canberra-based analysts Delos Delta.
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The study, covered by state government funding, will identify a model that has long-term sustainability and fosters entrepreneurship. Council will also set aside $150,000 in its capital budget for initial set up and development of the hub, in a location yet to be determined.
In considering the tender for Delos Delta, recommended as the most value for money out of seven tenderers, councillor Libby Hall questioned whether the hub would be self-sustainable.
"It's not a service I feel council should provide ... but if it gets off the ground and is self-supporting, I believe this will achieve what it has set out to do," she said.
Cr Kat Bennett said it would be different to the hub established in Wangratta, so as not to be a duplicate.
"The recommended tenderer did suggest council should back away from it ... it won't be an ongoing cost to council," she said.
Cr Danny Lowe said council's pledge of $150,000 to set-up costs was made off the back of research, and pointed out ANZ Bank had their staff in such spaces.
"If we have big banking sectors looking at these, little old Wodonga can look at these as well," he said.
"I think it's important to highlight what benefits they have to the community.
"Sometimes it's as simple as someone needs a place to go and start up, because they can't afford rent ... it's an opportunity to investigate whether their business will be viable or not."
IN OTHER NEWS
Mayor Anna Speedie said a co-working space was already offered through TheHUB Wodonga.
"We know more than 50 per cent of businesses in cities are actually coming out of these types of environments," she said.
Business innovation hubs in Wodonga and Wangaratta were actions identified through the 2018 Ovens Murray Regional Assembly.
The contract with Delos Delta will run until 2021.
Also on Monday, a $300,160 tender to build the Emerald Oval pavilion was awarded to Southern Cross Developers with an expected completion in early 2020.
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