Move to wind up business group

The Chamber of Commerce logo

A MEETING will be held early next month to wind up the Derwent Valley Chamber of Commerce after several years of inactivity. The chamber was established in 1954 to promote business in the community for the benefit of the whole community.

Several years ago the chamber was successful in having the Derwent Valley Council establish the New Norfolk Business Alliance established as a promotional group funded by a levy on properties in the town's central business district. It is felt by some that the new group took over many of the chamber's roles, even though the Business Alliance is a promotional group and not a representative body.

Another of the chamber's successful and ongoing projects is the Derwent Valley Business and Services Directory which is published annually as a fundraising project for Derwent Valley Online Access Centre in New Norfolk. The chamber was also successful in obtaining grant funding to improve visitor access at the historic First Fleet cemetery at Back River.

The wind-up meeting will be held at the offices of Derwent Real Estate, 71 High St, at 5.45pm on July 4. All former members and any interested business people are invited to attend the meeting. In an advertisement published earlier this week, former DVCCI secretary Mark Bennett lists the two agenda items as:

1. That DVCCI be wound up due to lack of support from local business, and;
2. As required under the DVCCI Constitution funds currently held in the trust account be transferred to the Business Alliance being the only local body with similar objectives.