NDM9010 - Opposition Debate
Tabled on 08/10/2025 | For debate on 15/10/2025To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes:
a) that analysis from the Welsh Retail Consortium in 2023 showed that Wales has the second highest number of vacant shops in the UK;
b) that almost 100 high street banks have closed in Wales in the last three years; and
c) that the UK Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ programme allocates £214 million of funding to Wales with the aim of strengthening place-based regeneration.
2. Regrets that the ‘Pride in Place’ programme does not provide long-term funding certainty and at the scale required for town-centre regeneration.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to publish a comprehensive strategy for town-centre regeneration, setting out a long-term vision for town centres that includes measures to:
a) establish a preferential business rates multipliers for small and independent high street retailers, including hospitality businesses;
b) establish long-term funding certainty for town centre regeneration; and
c) bring forward legislation to strengthen community ‘Right to Buy’ powers.
Tabled By
Amendments
Delete point 3 and replace with:
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) scrap business rates for small businesses;
b) improve access to free parking in town centres;
c) amend the planning system to promote a mixed offer on high streets;
d) establish a seaside towns fund to help address the challenges in coastal communities;
e) establish a market towns fund to help address challenges in Wales's market towns; and
f) work with the National Lottery Community Fund to promote community ownership of important assets threatened with closure.
Tabled By
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Supports the action being taken by the Welsh Government to assist town centres, such as:
a) the actions set out in the retail action plan;
b) continuing funding for rates relief schemes;
c) including town centre first principles in key planning documents;
d) publishing the town centres position statement;
e) establishing the community asset commission;
f) investment through the transforming towns programme; and
g) launching the tidy towns fund.
