As the Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, one of my main objectives for 2012 will be strengthening the Mid Wales economy. I have already secured two meetings in January with the Ministers for Business and Transport, to see what Welsh Government can do help boost business growth. I have also managed to secure a visit by the Business Minister to Newtown to meet with businesses on the ground, so they can tell the Minister directly, what exactly they need from government to be more competitive.
There is no doubt that the economic outlook for next year is going to be tough. High Streets in towns and cities up and down the country are going feel the squeeze as household incomes contract. However, one potentially positive message came from Mary Portas last week, who published a report on the future of our High Streets.
Many of you will know Mary Portas from such BBC television series as ‘Mary Queen of Shops’. As one of the UK’s leading retail marketing consultants, she was commissioned by the Prime Minister back in May, to lead an independent review into the future of our High Streets. In her final report unveiled last week, she makes a number of key recommendations to set about regenerating our ‘failing’ High Streets, which included improving the management of High Streets with new ‘town teams’, more affordable town centre car parking and disincentives for landlords who leave shops empty.
Her principal message was clear – yes our High Streets are at crisis point but if we invest in and create social capital in the heart of our communities, then economic capital will naturally follow.
Having read the report from the both a political and business perspective, I found myself agreeing with the majority of the recommendations made. We do need to look at our High Streets in a different way and we need to redefine their role and purpose because only a radical new vision for our town centres will ensure their viability in the future.
I think that some of the ideas in the report must be examined by both the Welsh Government and Powys Council because it is vital that government at all levels have the responsibility to work with shops to regenerate our town centres. For example, if Welsh Ministers supported Welsh Conservative proposals to scrap business rates for small business, this would not only ease the financial burden but it would also encourage new business start-ups to enter the market.
Again with parking, if the council made it free to park on certain days of the week, I believe this would encourage shoppers to come into our town centres, rather than shop in out-of-town outlets, which would increase footfall and help stimulate business growth.
There is no simple answer to retail revitalisation but we must all work together to find opportunities and workable solutions tailored to cater for local needs.
I am very pleased that a Newtown Chamber of Trade has been established. I have been promoting this over the past few months, so I am delighted that it has taken off the ground. I have also been working with the FSB and the Mid Wales Manufacturing Group in recent weeks, to see how we can encourage manufacturing growth and additional trade across Mid Wales. Finally, I am due to meet with a business forum in Welshpool early in the New Year and I will do all that I can to help their cause in revitalising Welshpool and make it a town where people want to spend quality time and money.
There is a lot of work to do in 2012 and I do not underestimate the significant challenges ahead. However, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.