Extract:

Introduction

At the start of the term the Mayor decided to establish a new advisory panel to bring the voice of small business into Council. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the New Zealand economy, accounting for 97 per cent of all businesses nationally and a significant portion of employment and GDP.

Auckland is home to a large number of these businesses, representing a significant proportion of the nation's total business locations and employment, with 35 per cent of national business locations and employees located in the region as of February 2024.

Chaired by Councillor Turner the approach to the new panel was to bring together a group of business owners with wide business experience to provide the organisation and the Governing Body with direct access to, and insights from, business owners. Initial scoping sessions tested the appetite and potential availability of small business owners for a direct engagement mechanism at a strategic level with Council.

As a new panel, it took time to establish the right mix of members and cadence. By the end of the term, this started taking shape. There is an opportunity to identify common issues the panel can provide greater level of advice back into the council on. The panel agreed that if the organisation and Governing Body find it useful to engage with small business owners as a panel, they are prepared to commit time to do it. Members value and appreciate the opportunity to bring their unique perspectives to Auckland Council. 

Panel member insight - while "many of the council's advisory panels have a very common theme that align them through their membership, the small business advisory panel is quite unique. Although we align in business, our opinions differ and I think that what makes us special.''

Staff have been proactive in offering their views on the value of engaging with the panel including:

A practical 'sounding board' to hear business related ideas and practices.

A way for members of the small business community to connect directly to staff involved in relevant programmes and initiatives. ...

Small Business Advisory Panel, September 2025