THE Bathurst Business Chamber has welcomed some surprising financial support that was announced on Wednesday.
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Bathurst Regional Council released details about its second set of economic stimulus measures to support the community during the coronavirus crisis.
One of the key measures, included in a mayoral minute, was $18,000 in financial assistance for the business chamber to help it meet its objectives.
President of the chamber, Catherine Fitzsimons, has welcomed the assistance and admitted it was a surprise.
"We were very pleasantly surprised and very pleased, and we look forward to being able to continue the work that we do for businesses in Bathurst at a time when we're particularly needed to support our members," she said.
The assistance came after council recently joined the business chamber's Wine and Webinar event to discuss its stimulus measures.
Ms Fitzsimons said the boost for the chamber sends a positive message to the business community on how the council views the role of business in Bathurst.
According to the mayoral minute, the funding will be provided to the chamber next month.
"The chamber can use this funding to subsidise fees where they see fit for some of their members (noting not all will seek nor need subsidy) or for other purposes to assist in achieving their objectives," the report read.
Ms Fitzsimons has further explained how the funding might be used.
"It can be used for a lot of things, but we'll have to make the final decision at our board meeting," she said.
"Certainly what we are very keen to do is continue to push our Keep It Local Bathurst campaign and so we'll be discussing at our board meeting allocating resources to that, and maintaining the services of the chamber through these times will be what we also look at doing.
"And we'll also consider any other projects and activities of the chamber that would have been under threat at this time."
The first economic stimulus measures announced in April were focused on supporting businesses, while the new measures are more about community.
Ms Fitzsimons is happy with the direction council has taken.
"It certainly looks from the mayoral minute as though they have worked hard," she said.
"It's always easy for us to say 'There could have been this, there could have been that', but we believe that council is making an effort, particularly with the reduction in interest and waivers like that and their support for sporting groups."
