Rockdale Chamber of Commerce in conjuntion with Rockdale City Council, St George Police Local Area Command and the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) present a comprehensive guide to conducting business, pedestrian safety, parking and general work tips while visiting or conducting business in Rockdale.

We appreciate the time and effort of all parties involved in producing this relevant information and hope these guides are a useful tool for you and your business.

Rockdale City Council Business, Parking & Safety Tips:

Article: Shop Front Improvement Grants October 2006

The Shop Front Improvement Grants Program has been established by Rockdale City Council, with the support of the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Funding for this program has been attained from the Rockdale Town Centre Local Area Special Rate.

AIM OF THE GRANTS PROGRAM

The aim of this grants program is to support the upgrading of shop fronts in the Rockdale Town Centre.

The main objectives of the program are:

• To encourage owners and occupiers to improve shop frontages.
• To encourage neighbouring properties to work together to improve local amenity.
• To support initiatives by traders and businesses.

PROMOTION

The Rockdale Town Centre Shop Front Improvement Grants will be promoted by the Council and the Chamber of Commerce via regular newsletters, meetings and correspondence.

INVITATION TO APPLY

Grant applications must be submitted on the attached application form.

There is no limit to the number of grant applications submitted for any one property, however only one grant will be approved per property each year.

Favourable consideration will be given to joint applications where shop front improvements are proposed for two (2) or more properties. In this case multiple grants may be approved.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Eligible projects may include:

• Removal of unused signs
• Awning replacements or upgrades
• Professional window displays and signs
• Application of anti graffiti treatments.
• Painting and shop front decorations

The grant does not cover:

• Routine maintenance
• The purchase of buildings
• The reallocation of businesses
• New additions or extensions
• Security devices or grills
• Handwritten signs and posters
• The purchase of cleaning products
• Internal upgrades including, display shelves, internal painting etc.
• Unsympathetic work.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Successful applications will be those that meet the aims and objectives of the grants program and contribute to an improvement of the overall amenity of the Town Centre.

LEVEL OF FUNDING AVAILABLE

The grants program will provide $1 dollar for $1 dollar funding up to a maximum of $1,000 for each grant.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Projects will be assessed by Rockdale City Council with the assistance of the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

APPLICATION TIMING

Anticipated Timetable

PAYMENT OF GRANT

Grants will only be paid upon satisfactory completion of the work specified.

Indicative approval will be given for owners and occupiers applying for grants and when that work is completed, the grant will be paid according to the dollar for dollar program value.

Please allow up to three weeks after the final inspection to receive grant reimbursement.

LODGEMENT OF APPLICATION

Rockdale City Council Customer Service
2 Bryant St, Rockdale 2216
P: 9562 1666
F: 9562 1777

<< Back or >> download & print application form here

Document - Online Application Tracking is here!

On Monday 29 May Rockdale City Council are intoducing a new user friendly system available to all, via their website, that gives you access to track the progress of your application for lodgement through to determination!

Application tracking is available for Development Application, Construction Certificates, Complying Development and Subdivion Certificates.

Using Application Tracking, you can track any application submitted after 1 July 2004 and access information on:

• Current status of application

• Actions taken as part of the assessment process

• Email address link for further enquiries

This is an easy to use system designed to help you save time! It allows you to follow your application and find out how it is progressing from the comfort of you own home or work at a time that is convienient for you. Now you don't have to call Council to find out what is happening with your application, most of the information you need is at your finger tips at your leisure.

To access this service, all you need to do is click on the Application Tracking link on the Rockdale City Council's website

<< Back or >> download & print copy here

Document: Have Your Say - Draft Management Plan & Budget.

Each year Rockdale City Council places its Draft Management Plan and budget on public exhibition. This is to encourage community feedback.

In our busy daily live it is difficult to find the time to do this, so thus year we are having an Expo on:

Wednesday 31 May 2006
Rockdale Town Hall
Business Owners: Anytime from 7:30 - 9:30am

The draft management plan outlines what Council is going to do to make Rockdale a better City. The plan identifies Council's long term goals and actions and includes our draft budget for the next year and a three year financial plan.

The plan will also be on exhibition at our Customer Service Centre libraries and website until Wednesday 14 June. Feedback is invited and must be received at Council by this date.

Looking forward to seeing you at the expo.

<< Back or >> download & print copy here

Article: Free Workshop - How to Lodge a Development Application.

Building a garage, extension, dual occupancy or even a swimming pool are some of the times when a DA is needed.

Rockdale City Council Officers will provide a step-by-step guide to the DA process and explian what every owner-builder needs to know.

Tuesday 26 October 2004
6pm - 8pm
Rockdale City Council
Level 2 Conference Room
2 Bryant Street Rockdale

Bookings are essential and space are limited. Call Sonia on 9562 1680 to reserve your place.

You can also contact the Telephone Interpreter Services on 131 450 and ask them to ring on your behalf. Please let us know if you need an interreter at the workshop.

This workshop is open to people interested in building or renovating in the City of Rockdale.

<< Back

Article: Rockdale Town Centre has its own brand.

Rockdale Town Centre - Everything to live

Last year Rockdale City Council and the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce launched a branding initiative for Rockdale Town Centre. Since its release the Rockdale Town Centre brand has been used in all promotions.

Choosing a brand for a produce or service is important from a promotional perceptive, as brands communicate and attract meanings. By creating this brand, the local community can now be distinguished from other shopping and business centres.

Shop keepers have all been invited to participate in the branding of Rockdale Town Centre by placing brand stickers on their shop fronts windows. Flags have also been on display throughout the Centre. By having the brand heavy displayed through the Centre, we are encouraging customers to recognise the symbol and in turn recognise the attributes of our Centre. In other words, allowing our customer to understand that we are not just a group of individual businesses, rather a Town Centre that can satisfy all their needs.

This brand will continue to be used in future promotions. If you have not received promotional material for your store, including the brand stickers and the Rockdale Town Centre Business Directory, please contact Maria Tsounias at Rockdale City Council.

<< Back

Article: Council Services - Customer Service Desk

If you have any questions about any of Council services, Rockdale City Council's Customer Service desk can provide assistance.

The Customer Service team provide information, assist with concerns and help local residents that would like to offer a suggestion in relation to any of Council's services.
By visiting the Customer service desk, you can be helped with any of the following:

• Council rates
• Building and development including illegal works
• Council decisions and meeting agendas
• Services offered to the community, such as libraries, meals on wheels, special events, recreational facilities, such as pools, playgrounds and BBQ areas and sporting fields
• Roads and footpaths
• Parks and gardens
• Public safety and health issues such as pollution, illegal dumping, noise and flooding
• Traffic conditions and parking
• Animal control such as registration of dogs and cats, stray, noisy or nuisance pets
• Contact details for all other community services provided either by the Local, State or Federal Government.

You can contact Rockdale City Council's Customer Service Team:
In Person: At the customer Service Counter Rockdale City Council
2 Bryant St Rockdale, Centre Opening Hours: 8.30am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
By telephone: 9562 1666 Phones are staffed from 8.30am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday
By Facsimile: 9562 1777
By email: rcc@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

<< Back

Brief Sheet: Environmental Assessments

How environmentally friendly is your Business?

Twenty businesses in Rockdale Town Centre have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of Rockdale City Council's $20,000 environmental education program.

Rockdale City Council recently received funding from the NSW Government to set up environmental sustainability education projects in the local community. The project developed by Rockdale City Council involves selected businesses receiving an environmental assessment and retrofit.

Each business will be presented with recommendations on how to reduce waste, energy use and water consumption which will in turn help each business save money.

If the business chooses to implement at least one of the recommendations, a private consultancy, "Energy and Water Solutions" will then implement further recommendations for that business.

Each business will receive recognition certificates and stickers that can be displayed, allowing clients to know that they are an 'environmentally friendly' business. Businesses will also be presented with material that will help assess their current practices.

This is a great opportunity for the Rockdale Town Centre to become proactive in making a difference for our community. This program will also include the production of calico shopping bags with the Rockdale Town Centre logo being made available in retail shops.

Anticipated Time Frame for Program:

November 2004 Assessments will begin
December 2004 Recommendations will be presented to businesses
January 2005 Retrofits for businesses who take on at least one recommendation
Late January - February 2004 Certificate presentations
February 2004 Local shopping campaign - selling calicos bags and promotion of total program.

Together we can make a difference. Why not take this opportunity to learn more about your business and join together with other business owners in making Rockdale Town Centre a great place.

Are you interested?

Participating businesses will need to be able to produce copies of their recent energy bills for assessment (confidentiality is guaranteed).

To be involved contact:
Maria Tsounias, Rockdale Town Centre Coordinator.
Phone: 9526 1662
Mobile: 0411 654 085
E-mail: mtsounias@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

<< Back

Article: Council Service - Garbage and recycling Collection

Council can provide you with a garbage service if you so wish that allows you business garbage and recycling to be disposed off.

Land owners are responsible for arranging garbage services for their properties. Leasees need to speak to their land owners to arrange additional services if needed.

Garbage Service

Properties east of the Railway are collected on Wednesday morning; whist properties in the west of the railways are collected on Thursday mornings.

Council advise the bins need to go out on the kerb the night before. The bin is black or very dark grey in colour and is a small, 120 litre size. This service is available for $253 per financial year. Additional bins can be made available for $129pa.

Recycling Service

Recycle bins are collected every fortnight with your garbage bin. This bin has a yellow lid and is (large) 240 litres in size. Council collects all the recycled materials together. Additional recycling bins can be made available free of charge.

Tips? - How can you help
What can be recycled?
Bottle - glass or plastic
Steel or aluminium cans
All paper
Cardboard
Junk mail
Magazines
Newspapers
Milk and juice cartons

Do not place plastic bags or garage in the recycle bin, please empty the materials from the plastic bag into the recycle bin and then place the plastic bag in the garbage bin.

To ensure the reliability of Council's service it is recommended that bins be places in driveways or between parked cars or on the gutter of the road Council requires 300 mm clear space on each side of the bins between parked cars to do this. It is also required that 4.5 metre clear space above the bin so placing the bin under trees is also acceptable.

For further information on Council's waste service please check Council's website on www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au, or ring our Customer Service Centre on 9562 1666.

<< Back

Article: Changes in customers needs and wants

Whist more people move into Rockdale Town Centre, the potential for more business also increases. Yet this potential will only be reached if your business is in line with these new residents' needs and wants.

The importance of town centres are growing around Sydney as more and more people are moving into smaller spaces that are based around busy centres. This trend has been experience around the U.K and the United States for many years. Jude Hannah, a local trends analyst has lived extensively overseas for the past 6 years and has explored the future trends that we are now facing.

By examining local changes, economic restraints and international trends, Jude Hannah suggests that the following changes will take place in local consumers' needs and wants.

• Want to stay close to home. With more people moving into business districts, consumers will soon be living, working and playing within the one district. This means that local town centres will need to provide, employment and leisure services. Essentially town centres will need to satisfy its residents every need.

• Seeking out things in their own community. By living and playing in the one area, local consumers will want to feel part of their local community. They will want to satisfy all their needs and actively play a part in its community's development. Retailers are advised to place high importance on customer service and product choice. By allowing customers to feel their importance, retailers are encouraging consumers to part of their community and remain loyal customers.

• Working from home, yet being globally connected. Whilst future customers will be happy to stay within their own community, they too will be globally connected. By using the Internet as a communications tool, consumers will research their needs before buying. Yet Internet shopping is not predicted to be as popular as first thought. Consumers will search on line, yet still want to get to the street and experience the touch and feel aspect of shopping. Therefore retailers are encouraged to advertise on line and encourage customer to visits their stores for the true experience

• High importance on quality of life. Whilst people are moving into more confined spaces, they will place high importance on actively increasing their quality of life. This will be seen in the increase of out door dining, the increase in pampering both for the individual and pets, increase in home renovations, the want for better retirement outlets and an increase in anti-aging techniques. Retailers are encouraged to attempt to provide quality in every aspect of their service.

• Value for money. Whist our future customers are feeling they are part of the local community and wanting to increase their quality of life, they too will want to know that they are spending they money wisely, in order to accommodate their life style. With this, retailers are advised to prove value for money and ensure that they are price competitive. Future customers will want individual service and products, yet at a valuable price.

Although it may seem we are in uncertain times and business is getting harder, town centres will be the hots spots in coming years. Yet it is essential that your business is reflecting these changes.

If you would like to know more about these future trends, or would like to ensure that your business is in line with these changes, feel free to contact Maria Tsounias (9562 1662) for a consultation.

<< Back

Roads and Traffic Authority Safety Tips:

Article: Rockdale gets a new LOOK for Pedestrian Safety

As past of Council's ongoing response to concerns over the safety of local pedestrians new kerbside stencilling has been applied around the streets of the Rockdale Town Centre. This is just one of the on going strategies form Council's latest Pedestrian Safety Campaign that has been running over the past couple of weeks.

With support from the RTA, Council is taking proactive steps to ensure that local residents and visitors area reminded to take extra caution when crossing our roads. Pedestrian account for over 30% of read fatalities in Sydney each year.

High profile kerbside stencilling has proven to be a simple yet effective approach to saving lives and preventing injuries. The visual reminder at crossings is a on-the-spot prompt to action pedestrian just before they step out. The LOOK stencils increase awareness of crossing safety and help to identify the direction of traffic flow.

During the month of June Council has also been handling out information packs ad balloons to local pedestrian to further educate them.

Mayor Bellamy said "The safety of all pedestrian issuing Rockdale roads is paramount, State-wide, the number of pedestrian fatalities and injuries has become as much a cause for concern as for drivers With the support of the RTA, Rockdale City Council is tasking proactive steps to ensure that local residents and visitors are reminded to take extras caution when crossing our roads".

<< Back

Police Tips

Article: Business Crime in Rockdale

Business crime has been increasing over the past few years, in particular fraud. With this is in mind Council recently held an information seminar hosted by Constable Tina Xanthos, St George Crime Prevention Office for operators of small businesses.

This forum aimed to give accurate knowledge about the types and prevalence of crime affecting the local business community. It also aimed to give owners the skills to assess their own business and knowledge to reduce the risk and opportunities for crime.

Business crime is an issue we need to combat as a group of traders and property owners. A recent survey proved that 49% of all businesses reported business crime in the previous year. The average financial cost of crime against businesses was nearly $5,000. The effects of business crime are not only financial but also psychological for both operators and employees.

They are several actions businesses can take to minimise the opportunity for business crime. Including

1. Understanding business crime.

Crimes against businesses include:
Fraud, Burglary
Shop lifting and Stealing
Robbery
Arson
Malicious damage (such as graffiti, smashed windows etc)

2. Identifying and assessing your business's risks

By taking a closer look at both your local business community and operation you can help determine the likelihood of business crime occurring. By doing so, you can then create crime prevention strategies. For example - if your store layout is cluttered, the likelihood of shoplifting is higher than in a store where the layout is open and visible.

3. Reporting all crimes

By reporting all occurrences to our Local Police Area Command we can help them create a clearer understanding our area and develop strategies to target these problems.

To report a crime or for more information call:

1. For all emergencies - 24 hours - call 000
2. Your Local Police Command - St George Crime Prevention Officer Constable Tina Xanthos Ph: 8566 47482
3.Police Assistance Line - 24 Hours - 131 444
4. Crime Stoppers - Monday - Friday 7am to 11pm, weekends 8am to 8pm - 1800 333 000

Remember working alone we can only do little however, working together we can put crime out of business.

<< Back

St George and Sutherland Shire Business Enterprise Centre

Article: Business Enterprise Centre

The St George & Sutherland Shire Business Enterprise Centre's (BEC) mission is to help businesses in our community grow. Each newsletter will update you on seminars and articles produced by the BEC.

The BEC's services include:

Business Advisory Service - for start up and established small business. This service is free, independent, confidential and by appointment. Bookings can be made at the BEC's Brighton on Thursdays.

Small Business Workshops - for start up and established small business owners. For those wishing to develop their business skills and knowledge. Workshops include:
- Business Planning
- Marketing & Sales
- Record Keeping
- Financial Statements
- Legal Issues
- Operating Your Business From Home

Plus, the BEC regularly delivers free Australian Taxation Office (ATO) workshops on all taxation issue for business.

Networking events - grow and support your business management and marketing through networking.

For further information about the BEC and upcoming seminars you can visit their web site: www.becsmallbiz.com.au or phone 02 9545 5900.

Free membership is also available online. Members receive frequent updates regarding meetings and seminars held by the BEC. This provides a great opportunity for all business owners to further their skills and network with other business people.

<< Back