Economy
HCC: Call for open tender for business support
Lord Mayoral candidate Alderman Philip Cocker today proposed the Hobart City Council proactively seek development investment through an open tender process for all Council development funds.
“Council provides significant funds to developers. This has always been done in secret behind closed doors.
“We can create better development outcomes for our city by proactively creating an open tender process for all development funds.
“ An open tender process will generate significant interest and competition. In the past there has been zero competition. You never good outcomes from deals down in secret without competition.
“Yes we do want Myer in Hobart, but do we want to support a public corporation over the creativity of our own Hobart businesses?
“Imagine what we cold have achieved if we offer $14 million to Tasmanian businesses and developers in an open process. The possibility a limitless. It’s very exciting.
“We could give the people of Hobart a say in selecting the preferred developers and businesses giving power back to our people.
“I am proposing a fund of monies determined from historical spending. The fund wopuld be available for developments in and around the city.
“Once the amount has been determined Council would offer the monies based on a criteria of best bang for the buck to the city.”
The funds would be available on a basis to big and small with an emphasis on local small businesses.
“If the council has a project it wants to see happen then the amount of its support for that project would be made public and with expressions of interest called for delivery of that project. Access to the support would be available based on a criteria based on who delivers the best proposal.
“The effect of these proposals is total transparency for the public and the bidders. The selection of the best proposal would be based on publicly known criteria that would allow the community to judge the quality of the council’s decisions and the delivery of the project.”
Mr. Cocker also proposed standing rate relief formula for all new developments not secret large developments.
“Five small developments can deliver the same and preferable outcomes to one massive development like the massive new concrete block for Vodaphone. So why would we not support small local businesses?”
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