The Draft Economic Development Plan for Tallaganda becomes a public document this week and is available for community consideration and comment.At the core of the plan is a challenge to the people of Tallaganda to build effective partnerships, which will enable them to create a shared vision of the future, and pool their resources to make the most of the many opportunities which are slipping by.
The information gathered to support the creation of an Economic Development Plan has revealed that, in comparison to many rural areas, Tallaganda is 'comfortable', rather than 'in crisis'. It has stable population trends; employment levels which are near to rural national averages and slow growth of tourism and service industries - which are adding much needed diversity to the employment and business base in this strongly agricultural region. However, many opportunities are being missed, the economic health of the region is not as robust as it could be and the Shire is missing much of the business and employment growth occurring in other parts of NSW. The Economic Development Plan identifies 11 areas for action:
• Building community partnerships and networks
• Creating a centre Of Cultural and creative excellence
• Creating a distinctive image within which to promote the Shire, its products and activities
• Creating partnerships between young people, school, business and community
• Developing tourism - targeting market segments
• Developing tourism - building on existing events
• Developing tourism - developing a calendar of events
• Building a growth focused business environment
• Building IT and web based community and business opportunities
• Creating an ongoing economic and community development process
• Evaluating economic development progress in Tallaganda
Tallaganda's economic success depends upon the whole community's capacity to construct effective partnerships between individuals, community groups, the business community, farm-based businesses, community services, and the Council. The challenge is to build a cohesive community, which can make the most of opportunities, effectively tackle difficulties and work towards a shared vision of its own future.
The Economic Development Plan can now be viewed at the Tallaganda Shire
Council Offices, the Tallaganda Library, The Cafe Caboodle in Braidwood, The Elrington Hotel, Majors Creek, The Nerriga General Store, The Araluen Valley Hotel, West Farmer Dalgety's Braidwood Stock and Station, Dr Stewart's Surgery and for those people with Internet access the plan is on-line at wwvv.tallaganda.nsw.gov.au
A public meeting will take place on June 6, 2001, 7.30pm at the Braidwood Central School during which the Economic Development Working Group, a community group which has been overseeing the production of the plan, will take community feedback on the Draft Plan and begin to work on the fine details of the how the plan will be implemented.
••By Elaine Slater and Kim Houghton from Strategic Economic Solutions who have been working with the Economic Development Working Group to produce the Economic Development Plan for Tallaganda.
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