The Liberal Democrats recently published a new Policy Paper – Revitalising Town Centres and High Streets.
Whether you are in an urban or rural council, everywhere has local centres that are facing an unprecedented series of challenges – from inflation and increased rates and taxes to increasing issues with shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
The Liberal Democrat policy paper calls for action from national government, such as:
- A 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses
- Reversing the damaging recent national insurance increases for employers
- Reforming the business rate system so commercial landlords pay more and tenants pay less.
In addition it recommends a number of actions that can be taken locally, such as improving accessibility, diversification of local spaces and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.
The below council motion uses the Lib Dem policy paper to suggest a number of calls to action so you can influence council policy to support local centres in your area.
The template motion is below:
Council notes that:
- Town Centres and High Streets remain the social, economic and cultural heart of our communities in [AREA NAME].
- Our local centres face unprecedented challenges including vacant premises, declining footfall, anti-social behaviour and reduced access to services.
- Recent Government decisions, such as the National Insurance Increase for employers, has hurt many local businesses and added to their challenges.
- Local authorities have a central role in shaping successful local centres through planning, transport, public realm improvements, cultural activities and partnership working.
- A successful town centre should be welcoming, accessible, safe, sustainable and economically vibrant. High streets should provide a mix of retail, leisure, cultural, community and public services.
Council further notes the recent Liberal Democrat Policy Paper – Revitalising Town Centres and High Streets – which calls for significant support for small businesses and local high streets from national government. These measures include an emergency 5% VAT cut for hospitality venues, cancelling the National Insurance hike on employers, and replacing the unfair business rate system with a commercial landowner levy that shifts the business rate burden from small businesses to commercial landlords.
Council believes that a combination of action from national government, and urgent measures taken locally by [COUNCIL NAME] is the only way in which we can revive our local centres and high streets.
Council resolves to:
- Instruct the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to write a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade to express the council’s support for the Liberal Democrat policy position of reducing VAT for hospitality businesses, reforming business rates to shift the burden onto landlords and cancelling the damaging National Insurance rise for employers.
- Explore a range of measures to tackle vacancy rates in local shopping centres which could include High Street Rental Auctions, the temporary use of vacant buildings for community or cultural activities.
- Encourage the conversion of upper floors into quality housing to bring residents – and life – back to the heart of local centres.
- Tackle shoplifting by exploring investment into strategic lighting and CCTV to discourage anti-social behaviour.
- Improving access to shopping areas by consulting on high-quality pedestrianisation projects and promoting active travel, while reviewing parking charges to ensure they support, rather than hinder, evening and weekend footfall.
- Develop a public realm design guide for local centres that will encourage greater footfall, which could include increased provisions of water fountains, clocks, play features, seating and public art and murals.
Council further resolves to delegate to the Overview and Management Scrutiny Committee the responsibility to set up a Task and Finish Panel to investigate the above recommendations and to provide a report to Council and Cabinet with a series of specific recommendations to support our high streets.