Moved by Councillor Arkins, seconded by
Councillor Miller –
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
the City
of Sydney is a global leader in supporting creativity, culture, and the
nighttime economy, with thriving hospitality, live music, performing arts, and
creative industries;
(ii)
businesses,
creatives, event organisers, and cultural practitioners sometimes find it
difficult navigating the various approvals, permits, funding opportunities and
hiring venues within the City;
(iii)
the
City of Sydney has implemented policies to support the cultural and nighttime
economy, including grants, licencing reforms and live music initiatives, but
further streamlining of processes and having a one stop shop would better
enable small businesses, creatives, and event organisers to help deliver a more
vibrant Sydney;
(iv)
the
City of Sydney established the business concierge service in 2021/22 to assist
with Covid-19 business recovery and is currently reviewing its functions; and
(v)
the NSW
Government also established the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner,
Sound NSW and have introduced a concierge service within Liquor and Gaming NSW
to assist those operating creative and hospitality businesses in the nighttime
economy, which has been really well received by industry;
(B)
Council
support:
(i)
the
establishment of a dedicated creative and nightlife team within the City of
Sydney business concierge to act as a “one-stop shop” service for businesses,
creatives, event organisers, and cultural organisations seeking to operate
within the City;
(ii)
a
dedicated public-facing team that provides tailored guidance to help
businesses, creatives, and event organisers navigate Council’s processes,
including planning approvals, licensing, venue hire, and funding applications;
(iii)
a focus
on removing barriers to entry for small and independent operators in the
creative and nightlife sectors, ensuring that Council processes are accessible,
transparent, and efficient; and
(iv)
a
customer-focused approach that aligns with the City’s recently released
economic development and cultural strategies; and
(C)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
develop
a plan to establish a creative and nightlife team within the business
concierge, including scope, structure, and resourcing requirements;
(ii)
ensure
this team is public-facing and streamlines interactions between businesses,
creatives, event organisers, and Council, minimising red tape and improving
communication;
(iii)
design
the team to work collaboratively across Council departments, ensuring a
seamless experience for users requiring planning approvals, permits, funding
advice, or venue hire support;
(iv)
consult
with the City’s Nightlife and Creative Industries Advisory Panel at its first
meeting to ensure the concierge meets the sector’s needs; and
(v)
report
back to Council within 3 months of consulting with the Advisory Panel on the
proposed structure, funding implications, and implementation timeline for the
creative and nightlife team within the City’s business concierge.
Carried unanimously.
X113758