ALBURY'S top business body will get council funding for the next two years, rather than four years after mayor Kevin Mack used his casting vote to reduce the timeframe.
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The city's councillors had been advised to enter into a sponsorship and financial assistance agreement with the Albury Northside Chamber of Commerce from July 1 this year to June 30, 2024.
But at Monday night's meeting, councillor John Stuchbery changed the end date to June 30, 2022, for the deal that involves $141,125 in the first year, reducing by $5000 for the second year.
He said his move was not to "punish" the chamber.
"My objective was to stir them into action and get things moving as quickly as possible," Cr Stuchbery said.
"That's what I'm hoping will happen."
Cr Mack, whose casting vote broke a 4-all deadlock, raised concerns about the chamber's support base.
"I would have thought membership could have improved in the last six or seven years and I would think a two-year turnaround on this particular sponsorship would not be unreasonable and would probably encourage bit more of a different approach," Cr Mack said.
The chamber's chair Bronwyn Tyrell said clearly a four-year funding pact would have been preferred and having two years could be "draining" given the extra reporting needed.
"It's something we have to assess and sit down as a board, once we know what the exact details are, and then realign our strategic plan to suit," Mrs Tyrell said.
A bid by Cr Stuchbery on Monday night to have the promotional special rate that applies to Albury CBD businesses continued for two years, rather than four years, failed with councillors voting 6-2 against it.
"If we give our staff four years to faff about with a bit of a strategic plan then they will spend four years faffing about and then at the end of the four years we'll have all forgotten about this that and the other," Cr Stuchbery said.
Cr Mack then noted it was the chamber of commerce's "responsibility to faff about as you put it" rather than council staff and Cr Stuchbery said that is what he meant.
Councillor Murray King cited a "pothole" on the bitumen in front of QEII Square and criticised an online survey undertaken on the levy.
He told The Border Mail on Tuesday he would be doing his own face-to-face questionnaire to gauge business sentiment along Dean Street.
Mrs Tyrell said she "absolutely" welcomed Cr King's move.
"I think it's really important for them to hear from the people impacted by these things, to get a feeling for where they're at," Mrs Tyrell said.
