Happy New Year! 

It has been such a busy month with a lot of projects currently in progress. Some of the workshops in progress are; 

• Women in Business Workshop: The RRCC has initiated a Women In Business Workshop to identify needs of women and the community and to guide and support anyone wishing to start a business. This is being facilitated and funded by GEACC. Lesley Parker is the facilitator. The outcome will be recorded and used as information to benefit the community and business in general. 

• We are still lobbying for a positive solution for members in Ravensthorpe in regard to Power head work costs and car parking requirements with the Ravensthorpe Shire. We are continually lobbying for the overall issues with infrastructure and costs in this region. I have had meetings with the Shire, spoken to Shayne Flanagan from GEDC and Dr Des Lehman from Western Power. I have also spoken with Professor Daniela Stihlik from Curtin University who has a lot of interest and is doing studies in sustainability of communities in rural areas. 

• Looking at setting up a service called Bus-Match where businesses will have the opportunity to advertise their business at a shop front and any newcomers or travellers to town can come and find out who and what is in town and it will give them the opportunity to register interest if they are looking for work also. This will also be on the website. This is to support employers looking for staff and people looking for jobs. You can also use ACIS in Ravensthorpe for this purpose as this is one of the roles of ACIS. 

• We are currently setting up a website that will have many possibilities such as advertising, business directory, list of relevant web addresses, Events calendar, forum/message board, news, newsletters, training, Job classifieds, members area, online shopping etc. This will be a free service to members and if a business wants links on the front page extra this may come at a cost. It will be linked to websites and a Community website that is being created through the Hopetoun telecentre. This will be a fantastic opportunity to promote your business. 

• You can watch the progress of the website at www.rrcc.asn.au 

• We are going to be focussing on marketing and how best to promote your business. This will include what the customer wants and what the customer is or isn’t getting. 

• I am looking at the possibility of leasing office space for 5 offices, one for the RRCC to be used as a shop front as information service and the other four to be lease out. This will create a space for advertising for members and information services etc. 

• We are looking at the feasibility of creating a position called a Community Administrator where this person will be employed to take on the role of all groups and organisations Treasurer roles and possibly Secretary roles. 

• The RRCC is considering taking on the administration role for all training workshops etc in Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun which will provide a source of income for the chamber. 

• I will be attending the Kalgoorlie CCI AGM and will have the opportunity of meeting with CCI WA and Kalgoorlie chamber members to discuss issues in general and how we can work more closely with them in the future and how we can work together. 

• Buy local and education campaign. This will interlinked with marketing, bus-match and the website. Next Meeting/Dinner The next members meeting will be held on Thursday the 21st February NICS 107 Restaurant in Hopetoun. We will have three speakers on the night and an update on what the chamber is doing. It will be a sit down meal for $30 a head so please RSVP early. Starts at 6.30pm. Look forward to seeing you all there and it will be one not to be missed! 

If any members have not received an invitation then please call me for more information on 0409 370 625 

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST OFFICE SPACE- Location, Location, Location! Four of five offices for lease Anyone needing an office in the main street of Hopetoun please call me on 0409 370 625. 

DATES OF WORKSHOPS/MEETINGS 
13TH FEBRUARY: KALGOORLIE CCI AGM- RAILWAY HOTEL-KALG STARTS 7.00PM 
19TH FEBRUARY: WOMENS BUSINESS WORKSHOP-HOPETOUN 9AM TO 2 PM 
21ST FEBRUARY: NEXT RRCC MEETING/DINNER- HOPETOUN STARTS 6.30PM 

IMPORTANT NOTICE After discussions with the Ravensthorpe Shire in regards to development costs for business in Ravensthorpe the chamber recommends strongly to make an appointment with Kobus the Town Planner at the Shire to discuss what will be required for development to go ahead in Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun. 

I have also been advised that anyone can make an appeal to the State Administrative Tribunal if they wish to appeal any decision made by the Shire of Ravensthorpe. For building approvals it must be made within 28 days of the decision otherwise you can apply for a new planning approval. 

Please speak to the Kobus at the Shire of Ravensthorpe to clarify this or if you have any questions on 9838 1001.