THE president of Albury Business Connect has welcomed the city council reversing a funding cutback, saying it was an "endorsement" of the work done to tackle COVID fallout.
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Barry Young was responding to Albury Council deciding to extend its sponsorship and financial agreement with his group until June 30, 2024.
Mr Young, who appealed directly to councillors at a public forum in May for a return to 2024, expressed his pleasure.
"It's just a bit of an endorsement of the role we've been able to play through the business community, especially through COVID," Mr Young said.
"It gives us some surety going forward and the ability to plan out."
In a report to councillors backing the funding rejig, Albury city staff declared business connect "performed well with respect to the performance targets outlined in their sponsorship and financial assistance service agreement with council".
"(Business connect's) achievements are more pronounced, given the operating environment with which they were faced, including unpredictable circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty following bushfires, drought and floods," the agenda report stated.
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The staff suggested if continued sponsorship was not provided, the council would probably have to devise its own business development program.
Mr Young said assessment of the staff was appreciated.
"It's nice to get that acknowledgment, we don't view it as a sponsorship as much as an investment in the business community and we give Albury City a really good return on that investment," he said.
"If they did in-house, what we did, it would cost a lot more, so I think it's a wise investment."
David Thurley was the only councillor to speak on the decision when the city agreed to the 2024 extensions at its meeting last week.
"This couldn't be a more important time to support local business and then the flow-on effects for employment and prosperity in our community," Cr Thurley said.
Meanwhile, a search for a new Albury Business Connect general manager is nearing its conclusion.
A short list of four candidates from the Border is to be interviewed soon and the successful applicant is expected to be announced by the end of July.
That person will replace Carrick Gill-Vallance, who is now in an economic development role with the Richmond Valley Council at Casino in far north NSW.
