NDM7221 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Community Regeneration

NDM7221 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets the failure of the Welsh Government’s Communities First programme to tackle poverty in the most deprived communities of Wales.

2. Recognises the need to deliver, in practice, a co-productive approach to community regeneration, with community involvement in co-designing and co-delivery of local services.

3. Acknowledges the particular challenges faced by seaside and market towns with higher retail vacancy rates and higher levels of deprivation than in other parts of Wales.

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to establish Seaside Town and Market Town funds to support regeneration in communities across Wales.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Welcomes the £800m investment in community and town centre regeneration between 2014 and 2022.

2. Notes the support the Welsh Government provides for local businesses in towns throughout Wales, including a comprehensive package of non-domestic rates relief, to address high street vacancies.

3. Recognises the important role of Business Improvement Districts in helping businesses and communities to work together to deliver grassroots solutions and support the regeneration of their local areas.

[If Amendment 1 is agreed amendment 2 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Regrets the UK Government’s benefits policies, particularly Universal Credit, which have increased poverty as reported by the United Nations in Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

Acknowledges the damaging effects of austerity on community regeneration and calls on the Welsh Government to support community initiatives to reverse its effects.

Calls upon the Welsh Government to co-develop high street regeneration and local transport policy as a way to improve community regeneration.

United Nations - Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights - 23 April 2019