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Red tape and traffic worry Hills
By Di Bartok
PSI INDEX
RED tape, traffic woes and the general
economic outlook were weighing Hills
businesses down, according to a professional
survey that has set a challenge for
governments and business networks alike.
Commissioned by Hills Business Chamber,
the Hills Shire Performance Sentiment
Index, conducted by McCrindle Research,
is not all doom and gloom but highlights
concerns among businesses of all sizes.
By McCrindle’s reckoning, the Hills has
been given a PSI score of -12, putting it into
the “slowing” category.
The Business PSI measures business
performance sentiment and conditions,
from -80 (“collapsing”) through to 80 (“accelerating”).
The rating was calculated from asking
more than 200 businesses a total of 21
questions on the health of their businesses,
outside and internal factors affecting their
businesses and their projections for the
future.
The biggest lag on businesses was the
time and cost requirements needed for
compliance, legislation and regulations, rating
a “collapsing” -64.
However, business owners could see
that there were supportive government
policy settings in place, scoring an “improving”
3.
Hills Business Chamber chairman
Anthony Moss said the results showed that
businesses needed to seek more support
from business networking organisations
such as the Chamber.
Mr Moss said the survey would be a
good tool to lobby all levels of government
for improved infrastructure, while allowing
the Chamber to know how best to support
businesses.
Copies of the report were handed to
State Liberal MPs Ray Williams and David
Elliott and Federal Liberal MP Alex Hawke
at its launch on November 5 at Hills Council
chambers.
Mr Moss said he hoped the message
would get through to governments that
businesses needed more support, with less
red tape and improved infrastructure.
At the launch, Hills Mayor Michelle
Byrne said the survey was a good tool for
understanding business needs.
The Hills Shire Performance Sentiment
Index can be downloaded from the Sydney
Hills Chamber website.
PSI at a glance
• 48pc provide products/services.
• 52pc provide products/services to
businesses.
• 26pc sole traders.
• 41pc micro-businesses.
• 23 pc small bus employing 5-19.
• 10 pc medium to large.
Concerns
• Rising costs.
• National economy.
• Poor infrastructure.
• Red tape.
Bright spots
• Local economy.
• Internal revenue forecast.
• More support in recent Govt policies.
• Rail link expected to lift outlook.
Mark McCrindle, left and Anthony Moss.
St Marys upgrade underway
PENRITH Council has started a
$6.7 million upgrade of St Marys
City Centre.
Footpaths, trees and lighting at
the northern end of the CBD – including
Station, Queen, Nariel and Phillip
Streets – are currently being replaced.
New asphalt will be laid in early December
Ẇork has also begun at the southern
end of Queen Street, from the Great
Western Highway to King Street and
Carsons Lane.
Mayor Karen McKeown said work is
being done in stages, and some at night,
during the 10 month project to minimise
inconvenience and disruption to business
owners and pedestrians.
W ork is expected to be completed by
mid-2016.
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6 WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS DECEMBER 2015