Carole Layzell’s Post

Advocacy remains a top priority for Commerce Ballarat, striving to ensure that the voice of business in Regional and Rural Victoria is heard. Much of this occurs behind the scenes, but this week has been marked by a flurry of media, phone calls, meetings, and media engagements including The Age, 3AW, ABC Melbourne and ABC Ballarat/Bendigo. Special thanks to Richard Cornish for crafting an insightful article shedding light on the challenges confronting many of our businesses in hospitality. These challenges are shared by many sectors, sky rocketing costs, Workcover, liquor licenses, insurance, energy to name a few. Often staffing and skill shortages mean our businesses are having to invest more into training and we also must acknowledge that our whole community is facing higher costs of living and mortgage rates, and for many external factors such as droughts, flood, and fire. On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to meet with Hon Catherine King MP, and yesterday the Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance met in Melbourne with Opposition Leader John Pesutto, Deputy Leader David Southwick MP, Shadow Small Business Minister Cindy McLeish, and Chief of Staff Louise Staley, FAICD, F FIN.  It is critical that our businesses are aware of certain facts if they are facing financial difficulty especially when it comes to dealing with the ATO, click the link for a simplified debt restructure fact sheet. https://lnkd.in/ee8faJBf If you need help or advice and can't afford it please reach out, and if you are experiencing difficulty with the ATO please contact Katherine Petrucco in Federal Member Catherine King's office. Phone: 5338 8123 Email catherine.king.mp@aph.gov.au We are focused on finding ways we can help, even small gestures can make a difference to someone under pressure. If you are able get out and about, enjoy a second cup of coffee, smile at the person serving you and saying ‘Bravo’ to Ballarat. To shout out, follow bravo4ballarat on socials and share your positive experiences by using the #bravo4ballarat. Business community leaders Stuart Benjamin and Kate Davis have developed this initiative to recognise hard working individuals and businesses who consistently deliver exceptional service and experiences to the community, across all industries. Commerce Ballarat will be sharing our own #bravo4ballarat posts over the coming weeks, and we encourage you to do the same.   As always, if you need help or an ear please contact our office at any time. Mental Health Support is available via Partners in Wellbeing Program:  sonia@commerceballarat.com.au 0484 671 018

Results from the Diverse Chambers Coalition of Philadelphia Small Business Owners Survey highlight the concern over crime and its impact on doing business in Philadelphia. Business owners responded that reducing crime is their top priority for improving the business environment in our city. Business ownsers said that the impacts of crime include: increase in security costs; difficulty in recruiting staff; reduced hours of operation; fewer customers; and increase insurance costs. This article brings these challenges to life.

Join Worthing Homes and our other landlords in Tpas England's #Collaborate programme ‘Tenant Influence in Boards and Governance’. “We see the Collaborate Programme as a unique opportunity to work and learn with other interested parties, to co-create approaches which will benefit our residents and enhance their customer experience” Heather Door, Governance & Training Officer, Worthing Homes. Full details here: https://lnkd.in/ebzhaGBn Contact Julie Butterworth CMICS for more details. If you want to be sure that your governance arrangements are reducing the risk of non-compliance across consumer standards, you have one week left to sign up and take one of the remaining few places left. It’s not too late to join and to be part of this programme to get the assurance you need that the voice of tenants is at the heart of your strategic decision-making. #influence #governance #regulation #uksoicalhousing #boardmembers #assurance #consumerstandards #localauthority 

Companies may use incentive award schemes to encourage their employees in various ways. For example, to sell more of their own goods and services. The award can be in forms including cash, vouchers or other gifts. #TaxIncentives #IncentiveRewards #staffrewards

Find it difficult getting a black cab in the City of London? Why Cabs Across Bank is so important… This short video by Seán Paul Day of London Taxi Radio explains why…. Please support by reposting 🔃🙏🏼 Licenced Hackney Carriages (black cabs) are currently restricted from driving across Bank Junction forcing black cabs away from the area ❌😤 Whilst the restrictions operate 7.00am to 7.00pm they mean drivers avoid the City of London at all times. Data shows the availability to be significantly worse than the West End as a result and it is also what drivers tell us. Restrictions must be lifted 24/7/365 to ensure black cab availability across the Square Mile for: ✔️ Business: to enable the City’s own Vision for Economic Growth, for a competitive City and UK ✔️ A safe night time economy and women’s safety to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls ✔️ Equality: for the mobility challenged, those with children, elderly, infirm or disabled ✔️ Visitors and hospitality: to support the City’s own Destination City strategy The City of London Corporation is evaluating the lifting of restrictions. Please visit www.CabsAcrossBank.London to find out more and to submit evidence in support 🙏🏼 ☎️ Contact me directly if you are a business or business leader who is prepared to add your name in support of this campaign or add your name by commenting on the post… 🧵⬇️ Supporters include: Tim Hailes FKC JP James Tumbridge Ben Murphy Jennette Newman Mark Wheatley Rehana Ameer FRSA Brendan Barns James St John Davis Tim Butcher Philip Woodhouse Alderman Professor Emma Edhem Alderman Prem Goyal OBE Nicholas Lyons Jason Groves ★ Madush Gupta ★ Robert Howard Robert Hughes-Penney Wendy Hyde Alastair King Dame Susan Langley Charles Edward Lord OBE JP Ruby Sayed Michael Mainelli Bronek Masojada Alethea Silk Tim McNally Andrien Meyers CC Judith Pleasance Henrika Priest Henry Pollard Nighat Qureishi Mandeep Thandi William Upton KC Ceri Wilkins Dawn Wright Philip Palumbo Stephen Plumb Dave Cannell Steve McNamara #CabsAcrossBank

Remitly is on a mission to transform the lives of immigrants and their families by making it easier to send money across the world. Remitly’s CEO Matt Oppenheimer joined Jon Fortt for a discussion on the challenges facing the financial services industry and Matt's entrepreneurial journey. Click below to listen. #Prosus #Fintech #FinancialServices #ForttKnox

The convenience and forecourt industries are at the heart of every community - that is why The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has joined a coalition of over 100 organisations to call upon the next government to take substantial actions against loneliness. The initiative emphasises the need to combat loneliness and strengthen communities This collective effort is crucial for the convenience industry, as it underscores the industry's role in improving community well-being and social connections, with a focus on supporting vulnerable and isolated individuals. Read more: https://lnkd.in/esQJQ4Zs

That politicians have made themselves even more unapproachable (that's not to say they ever were approachable, I am usually wary of harking back to a supposedly better time) is a further brick in the wall of saying that public policies don't ever change; or, randomly suddenly. Clearly times do change. I recall about 20 years ago being invited to a launch in Birmingham of something by the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown.  About community safety I assume. He looked pleased to do it, I presumed because he was setting out public policy like a prime minister. Now I'm not suggesting he or other Labour ministers were there to listen to or engage with others, let alone me. I recall one minister (Lord Falconer) leaving a room apologetically during a discussion. But I am thinking about on-street policing.  Different from 20 years ago. We can see now that the mid-2000s were the watershed. The SIA badging, and (a neat coincidence) then the cuts to policing. Was there at any point a sense of direction, about something as basic as how to police Britain's public space, with what mix of uniforms (pictured is an Amberstone van parked across the road from the Europa in Belfast last week, actually there I'm guessing for guarding a nearby Tesco convenience store)? Let alone a public debate. On the contrary, public policy lurched and took us down cul de sacs that ended up a waste of good people's efforts. The best example I can think of were the community warden schemes funded by the Office of the deputy prime minister (remember John Prescott?). I always thought they were (to use a Tyneside phrase) canny, only as soon as Prescott went and the ODPM went, so did the schemes and all that they built up. I presume the same lurches happen to schools and hospitals.