To help spur future business investment, two local governments in the Peel region are considering the implementation of a regional subsidiary and strategic advisory group as part of their joint-economic growth plan.
The proposal came after both the City of Mandurah and Shire of Murray approved a deal to work hand-in-hand to establish a plan to grow their local economies and deliver tangible benefits for the broader region.
The plan, Mandurah and Murray: A Shared Economic Future, aims to improve the area’s socio-economic condition and secure regional sustainability.
At the City of Mandurah’s council meeting on November 13, elected representatives showed unanimous support for the new implementation methods for the plan.
Along with the establishment of the subsidiary and advisory group, councillors unanimously agreed a Memorandum of Understanding would be appropriate with their eastern neighbours.
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While councillors showed their eagerness to accept the suggested methods during the recent meeting, the proposal will only receive the green-light if approved at their official sitting on November 27.
If approved, the regional subsidiary could see the local governments pooling their resources to create a statutory corporation, which would be a separate legal entity, managed by a board and governed by a charter.
Council will also consider a draft budget allowance for extra resources within the Mandurah-Murray Economic Development Unit to focus on business and industry, markets and investments, and portfolio development.
The process of creating a strategic advisory group will be commenced by Mandurah mayor Rhys Williams and chief executive officer Mark Newman, who aim to enlist the help of suitability skilled representatives.
According to the Local Government Act 1995, a regional subsidiary can only be formed for non-commercial goals, such as providing services to the community or increasing the efficiency of existing local government operations.
According to a report presented to the local government’s strategy committee, the plan came out of necessity.
From 2015 to 2017, the City of Mandurah and Shire of Murray endeavoured to participate in the WA Government’s Regional Centres Development Plan (RCDP).
However, following the March 2017 State Election, the new state government ended the RCDP, with no new plan created to replace it.
In January 2018, following a prolonged period of uncertainty, council empowered the City of Mandurah to write its own economic plan.
In doing so, council approved $150,000 of funding that was already contained within the City’s Economic Development budget to consolidate planning.
The proposal will be pushed forward through after Mr Williams and Mr Newman engage in negotiations with Shire of Murray president David Bolt and chief executive officer Dean Unsworth.
Mr Williams said the “vision” in the document would enable investment attraction in the Peel region, which in turn would create new economies and export opportunities.
“I think this is a really great implementation plan,” Mr Williams said.
He congratulated his fellow councillors for “thinking bigger” and establishing an opportunity to drive investment.
Coastal Ward councillor Fred Riebeling said the economic vision was “long overdue”.
The partnership to create this “shared vision” had been in the works for the past four years, according to the report.
Council have also voted to commit to a program of advocacy that aims to secure state and federal government support and investment in the projects resulting from the document.
The partnership comes at a critical point for the two local governments, who are staring down a huge economic shake-up when the highly anticipated Peel Business Park welcomes investors to the Nambeelup Industrial Area.
The 1000 hectare park will be located 10 kilometres north-east of Mandurah and forms the first phase of the Transform Peel initiative.
For more information visit the City of Mandurah or Shire of Murray websites.
What are your thoughts on the partnership and the idea of creating a regional subsidiary and strategic advisory group? Share your opinion with our team via editor.mandurahmail@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
Follow Caitlyn Rintoul on Twitter via @caitlynrintoul.