BELMONT Small Business Centre has petitioned the State Government to restore $96,000 of funding following disagreement with the Small Business Development Corporation over its core business.
Belmont MLA Eric Ripper tabled a petition in Parliament last Tuesday with hundreds of signatures and more than 80 letters of support for Belmont SBC.
In response, a representative for Small Business Minister Troy Buswell said the SBDC had recommended the cut so funding could be redistributed to regional SBCs.
“Belmont SBC’s current service delivery outcomes are heavily weighted towards textiles, clothing and footwear, which is federally funded, leaving the broader small business sector within the City of Belmont limited access to free advice, guidance and referral services,” the representative said. “The SBDC provides services into neighbouring local government areas of Victoria Park and South Perth and extending into the City of Belmont can be easily achieved.”
But management committee member Tim Hammond said the SBDC had its facts wrong.
He said Belmont SBC received no funding from the co-located Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA, a separate legal entity with its own committee.
“There is no doubt in my mind this decision is politically motivated,” he said. “There are dozens of other business centres around the State, but not one other centre has had their funding taken away.”