Mayfield

In accordance’s with the Association’s constitution and its service agreements with the City of Newcastle, Mayfield BIA will work as a cohesive and progressive group of professional people who will collaborate, inform and progress the best interests of business in the Mayfield precinct.

It will do this by:

• Acting responsibly and compliantly and with the best interests of its members and stakeholders as key priorities. 
• Using funds to progress the economic development, promotion and beautification of the Mayfield precinct.
• Working in unity with like-minded organisations including the BIAs of the City of Newcastle to progress city wide initiatives that add value to local business and particularly businesses in the Mayfield precinct.
• Working collaboratively with City of Newcastle and other key facilities and infrastructure providers to progress projects that enhance Mayfield’s position as a business hub.

Governance - Mayfield BIA is committed to ensuring that it operates within the constitutional, legal and operational requirements as required by the NSW Government, ATO and City of Newcastle. It will do this by the adoption and adherence to the use of ethical practice, sound policies, leadership, transparent communication and planning.

City wide collaboration - The Mayfield BIA believes that the power of four precincts can provide greater outcomes for the precinct. This is particularly important as the region navigates its way through and eventually out of the Covid19 crisis. Mayfield BIA has planned two levels of collaboration:

The immediate – Covid19 managing and recovery

• New Usual – working with other BIAs to promote local business and encourage local patronage.
• Recovery programs – working collaboratively withy other BIAs to connect members to support while informing planning processes
• BIA Chair round tables – actively participate in round table planning and discussions with other BIAs to deal with immediate options to improve business opportunity during Covid19

Further economic development and placemaking opportunities

• City wide live music sports (busking)
• Project Renewal – A Newcastle City BIA initiative aimed at attracting new or expanding business into vacant commercial properties  (awaiting Project Plan)
• Lighting installations to improve placemaking and safety – that can also leverage previous initiatives such as Illuminate Mayfield.
• Heritage and cultural walks, tours or mapping integration with City of other third party projects

Uniting a brand - Harnessing and leveraging existing brands, identities and available platforms to unite a brand that promotes Mayfield as a progressive business precinct. This will include:

• Coordinating social media utilising existing platforms and resources
• Developing campaigns that promotes the ‘humans of Mayfield’ – this will also be a logical adjoint to the New Usual project
• Community and member consultation that helps informs project design

Practical help - Provide a platform to share information and help connect members that might include: 

• Open learning workshops on practical ways to help business – utilising local expertise from businesses, the City of Newcastle or other resources.

The Association has the widest possible powers to do all things which may be necessary to pursue the Association's goals and objects including the following powers:

1. To use funds of the Association to pay the costs and expenses of the Association in accordance with any funding agreement entered into by the Association.
2. Subject to any funding agreement, to engage in prosecuting, defending or otherwise taking any legal action or legal proceedings on behalf of the Association and for that purpose, to expend such moneys and employ such solicitors, counsel and other advisors as the Association may think fit
3. To apply for and acquire any licences or permits deemed necessary by the Association
4. To open and operate bank accounts subject to such conditions as the Association any funding agreement entered into by the Association.
5. To engage with its stakeholders and community
6. To raise money by other means and upon such conditions as the Association thinks fit and in accordance with any funding agreement entered into by the Association
7. To engage contractors or consultants for such purposes and for such periods that are subject to any funding agreement entered into by the Association. subject to such conditions as the Association thinks fit provided that the Association shall not give money or lend money to;
   • A member or director of any company by which any business of the Association is carried on, or
   • A person or entity who is a settlor or trustee of a trust that is a shareholder of any company by which any business of the Association is to be carried on.

The Business Improvement Association is expected to only use the Service Fee for the purpose of beautifying, promoting and developing the area as specifically agreed to in the Deliverables Plan approved by the City of Newcastle. Special Rate Funds must not be used for administration costs, employee costs or used for any other costs related to the operation of the Service Provider unless approved in writing by the City of Newcastle.

A Deliverables Plan is a plan approved by the City of Newcastle’s nominated representative in writing containing the details of what the Service Provider intends to do to deliver the Service, including how and when the Service Fee will be spent, an operational plan and a marketing and communication plan for delivering the Service. The Deliverables Plan contains measurable targets for service delivery, which the Association is expected to report on to the City of Newcastle.

A person is taken to be an eligible member of the Association if:

1. They are the owner or delegate of one or more commercially rated properties within BIA precinct and pay the levy as applied by City of Newcastle, or;
2. They lawfully occupy, or are the tenant (or delegate) of one or more commercially rated premises within the BIA precinct, and operate a business from those premises, or;
3. They are appointed as a member of the Association by the board/sub-committee, on the basis the Association considers the person holds a specific interest or skill. Such individuals may or may not currently work within the BIA precinct but have the ability to significantly contribute to the objectives of the Association.

The members of the Mayfield Business Improvement Association Board are: 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge for Australia and the city of Newcastle. In the June 2020 quarter, the nation’s GDP fell by seven per cent, the largest quarterly decrease on record. Unemployment peaked across the city at 11%, with young people, women and marginalised groups even more severely impacted. Between April and September 2020 an average of over 6,500 businesses per month applied for JobKeeper payments in Newcastle.

This downturn was reflected locally in the Mayfield business precinct. As shown in the graph here, spending in local grocery stores and supermarkets remained buoyant throughout 2020, however the dining and entertainment and transport sectors were particularly hard-hit: spending in these businesses during April 2020 was less than 60% of expenditure levels in December 2019.  

There are indications the local economy has partially rebounded, with December 2020 retail spending in the Mayfield precinct even surpassing prior year levels overall. Specialised food retailing and specialised & luxury goods businesses in the local area appear to be experiencing a small boom period, possibly reflecting a pandemic-inspired shift in consumer preferences. The supermarket sector remained buoyant throughout 2020, with the effects of the opening of the Mayfield Coles visible in December 2020 expenditure levels. However, there are indications the transport and dining & entertainment sectors have not fully recovered to 2019-level revenue levels. In coordination with the Mayfield Business Improvement Association, the City of Newcastle has been targeting assistance at these industries. This includes the provision of business recovery training and support, and other targeted promotion for food services, dining and entertainment businesses.  We welcome new ideas on how to support local businesses in this crucial recovery year, and encourage you to get involved in your local business community.