THE REGION : Business Leaders Form Coalition : Fourteen area chambers of commerce join new council to develop common approach to solve problems.

Operating on the theory that there is strength--or at least volume--in numbers, Westside business leaders have banded together to speak with a single, regional voice.

The result is the Westside Council of Chambers of Commerce, a coalition of 14 local chambers that has been formed to develop a common approach to problems ranging from transportation tie-ups to declining tourism.

“We discovered that some issues are too big for our small businesses and chambers to deal with,” said Tom Pyne, the newly elected president of the Westside Council. “It’s more effective for us to pool our resources, share our knowledge and tap into the expertise we have in our communities.”

After more than six months of discussion, the coalition members met earlier this month to elect officers and draft bylaws for the new organization.

In addition to the naming of Pyne as president, Thomas Crail of the West Hollywood chamber, Steve Fazio of the Brentwood chamber and Donald Savoie from the Westchester/LAX chamber were elected vice presidents. Malibu chamber board member Mark Olson will serve as treasurer, and James R. Merlino of the Venice chamber will be secretary.

Other chambers represented on the Westside Council include those of Beverly Hills, Century City, Culver City, Hollywood, Marina del Rey, Miracle Mile and Pacific Palisades. Altogether, the council will be representing more than 7,500 businesses, organizers say.

A prominent concern of the council, its organizers say, is retaining businesses on the Westside. When a local business fails or leaves, Pyne said, the loss not only affects the city where the business was located, it also hurts the communities where the employees lived and shopped.

The new council plans to play an advocacy role on behalf of small businesses, presenting a common front before state and county officials whose decisions affect local businesses. Said Pyne: “The way to make a better community is to have a strong economy, and to do that, small businesses must flourish.”