City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp failing on election promises

Lord Mayor Sally Capp has been called out for not delivering on another election promise – to provide more support to the number of plummeting local businesses in Melbourne’s CBD.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp has been called out for not delivering another election promise. Picture: Jason Edwards

Lord Mayor Sally Capp has been called out for not delivering another election promise – this time to provide more support to local businesses.

In the lead up to the 2020 election, Ms Capp promised that local City of Melbourne businesses would be supported by mandating the council’s procurement guideline would give them a 30 per cent weighting for goods and services purchased by Town Hall.

However, all that was delivered was a 10 per cent weighting – only one-third of what was promised.

The council’s procurement guidelines also state the organisation “may elect to remove the (10 per cent) weighting” if the tender outcome “will not deliver value for money” or “is deemed not to be to the advantage of (the) council”.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The council’s annual report shows the number of businesses operating within the City of Melbourne has plummeted by 1216 since 2020 – down from 15,045 to 13,829.

Council Watch president Dean Hurlston said Ms Capp needed to work harder to make good on her election promises.

“Politicians must deliver on their promises and many City of Melbourne businesses will be disappointed that Sally Capp has failed to deliver – again,” he said.

“She’s already had three years to do what she promised and the clock is ticking.”

It comes after Ms Capp’s pledge to deliver 80,000 jobs over this council term is tens of thousands of jobs short and years late and her commitment to fix the council’s delivery of infrastructure projects is languishing, with an $85 million shortfall last financial year.

Council Watch president Dean Hurlston. Picture: Supplied

Mr Hurlston said supporting local businesses should be one of the top priorities for the Lord Mayor and Town Hall.

“Sally Capp is jetting around the world while businesses in the CBD are shutting up shop permanently,” he said.

“The City of Melbourne needs to focus on local issues and supporting local businesses.”

Victorian Chamber chief executive Paul Guerra said boosting local business is more important than ever and he hoped, for the future of Melbourne’s CBD, the council delivered on Ms Capp’s election pledge.

“Trust in election promises is a fundamental that should translate into commitment once the election is over,” he said.

“Given the importance of the business vote in the City of Melbourne, any pledges made to business must be delivered, and we expect that the current council will have a plan to do that.”

Ms Capp said: “We are proud to have established a minimum 10 per cent Local Economic Benefit as part of our Procurement Policy.”

“Previously, this quota did not exist. Council looks forward to deepening this percentage in future policy development.”