Meetings

NDM6176 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes successful schemes such as small business Saturday for increasing footfall in town centres across Wales.

2. Notes that, following the Plaid Cymru budget deal with the Welsh Government, a fund will be established that will enable local authorities to offer free car parking in town centres throughout Wales, providing a vital boost to town centre regeneration.

3. Regrets that the current business rates system places a disproportionate burden on small businesses with premises in Wales compared to the rest of the UK.

4. Regrets the impact of the recent business rates revaluation on some small businesses in Wales.

5. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) Expand the transitional relief available to small businesses affected by the 2017 non-domestic rates revaluation:

b) explore the designation of the whole of Wales as an enterprise zone in order to provide Wales with kind of competitive advantage needed in order to close the economic gap between Wales and the rest of the UK;

 c) ensure that the interests of small businesses are given due weight in the work of the new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and the National Development Bank;

d) set a target to increase the current levels of procurement from 55 per cent to at least 75 per cent of Welsh public sector spending within Wales; and

e) introduce a 'buy local' campaign aimed at Welsh consumers and major purchasers.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

Notes:

a) the impact of successful schemes such as small business Saturday which increases footfall in town centres across Wales;

b) the draft budget agreement with Plaid Cymru, which includes £3m for local authorities to run pilot schemes to evaluate the impact of free town centre parking;

c) that the current business rates system raises £1bn which supports public services in Wales that small businesses rely on;

d) that the revaluation of business rates by the independent Valuation Office Agency is not designed to raise additional revenue and that while some rateable values have increased, overall they have fallen;

e) the Welsh Government's commitment to introducing a new permanent small business rates relief scheme in 2018;

f) that the National Procurement Service has increased the number of Welsh businesses winning contracts and

g) the Welsh Governments intention to:

i) ensure that the interests of small and medium sized businesses are given due weight in the work of the new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and the Development Bank of Wales; and

ii) publish new economic priorities in 2017, to make Wales more prosperous and secure.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Add at end of point 1:

'but regrets that Wales has the worst high street vacancy rate in the UK and that footfall on Welsh high streets is down by 1.4 per cent compared with October 2015.'

Amendment 3. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete Point 2 and replace with:

Welcomes the draft budget commitment to introduce a pilot scheme for free parking and calls on the Welsh Government to further work with the retail industry to develop an integrated approach to town centre regeneration which incorporates free parking, business rates reform, simplified planning, town centre managers and a responsible night time economy.

Amendment 4. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

In point 5, delete sub-point (b)

Amendment 5. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new sub-point at end of point 5:

'recognise retail as a priority sector in the development of the Welsh Government's new economic strategy.'
 
Amendment 6. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Add as new point at end of motion:

Regrets that the One Wales coalition government failed to extend business rate relief for small businesses in Wales.

 

The item started at 15.38

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6176 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes successful schemes such as small business Saturday for increasing footfall in town centres across Wales.

2. Notes that, following the Plaid Cymru budget deal with the Welsh Government, a fund will be established that will enable local authorities to offer free car parking in town centres throughout Wales, providing a vital boost to town centre regeneration.

3. Regrets that the current business rates system places a disproportionate burden on small businesses with premises in Wales compared to the rest of the UK.

4. Regrets the impact of the recent business rates revaluation on some small businesses in Wales.

5. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) Expand the transitional relief available to small businesses affected by the 2017 non-domestic rates revaluation:

b) explore the designation of the whole of Wales as an enterprise zone in order to provide Wales with kind of competitive advantage needed in order to close the economic gap between Wales and the rest of the UK;

c) ensure that the interests of small businesses are given due weight in the work of the new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and the National Development Bank;

d) set a target to increase the current levels of procurement from 55 per cent to at least 75 per cent of Welsh public sector spending within Wales; and

e) introduce a 'buy local' campaign aimed at Welsh consumers and major purchasers.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
8	0	41	49

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

Notes:

a) the impact of successful schemes such as small business Saturday which increases footfall in town centres across Wales;

b) the draft budget agreement with Plaid Cymru, which includes £3m for local authorities to run pilot schemes to evaluate the impact of free town centre parking;

c) that the current business rates system raises £1bn which supports public services in Wales that small businesses rely on;

d) that the revaluation of business rates by the independent Valuation Office Agency is not designed to raise additional revenue and that while some rateable values have increased, overall they have fallen;

e) the Welsh Government's commitment to introducing a new permanent small business rates relief scheme in 2018;

f) that the National Procurement Service has increased the number of Welsh businesses winning contracts and

g) the Welsh Governments intention to:

i) ensure that the interests of small and medium sized businesses are given due weight in the work of the new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and the Development Bank of Wales; and

ii) publish new economic priorities in 2017, to make Wales more prosperous and secure.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	0	21	49

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendments 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were de-selected.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6176 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes:

a) the impact of successful schemes such as small business Saturday which increases footfall in town centres across Wales;

b) the draft budget agreement with Plaid Cymru, which includes £3m for local authorities to run pilot schemes to evaluate the impact of free town centre parking;

c) that the current business rates system raises £1bn which supports public services in Wales that small businesses rely on;

d) that the revaluation of business rates by the independent Valuation Office Agency is not designed to raise additional revenue and that while some rateable values have increased, overall they have fallen;

e) the Welsh Government's commitment to introducing a new permanent small business rates relief scheme in 2018;

f) that the National Procurement Service has increased the number of Welsh businesses winning contracts and

g) the Welsh Governments intention to:

i) ensure that the interests of small and medium sized businesses are given due weight in the work of the new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and the Development Bank of Wales; and

ii) publish new economic priorities in 2017, to make Wales more prosperous and secure.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
45	0	4	49

The motion as amended was agreed.