Mike Hedges MS welcomes announcement of funding to help town centres recover from the Coronavirus pandemic

Local Member of the Senedd, Mike Hedges, has welcomed the announcement that the Welsh Labour Government has made millions of pounds available to support town centres as they recover from the Coronavirus pandemic.



Welsh Labour’s Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn has announced that up to £5.3 million from the Transforming Towns programme will be used to fund adaptions in town centres to support traders and improve public safety in response to coronavirus.



The £5.3m fund will complement other support targeting town centre recovery including:

·         £15.4 million Local Sustainable Transport fund to provide better active and sustainable travel infrastructure to make it safer and easier for people to get around their local town.

• Funding to support the running costs of Business Improvement Districts’ for three months.

Welcoming the new fund Member of the Senedd for Swansea East, Mike Hedges , said: 



“I welcome this funding announcement from the Welsh Labour Government. We know that our town centres and high streets are facing huge challenges in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. This fund will be crucial in supporting our town centres and high streets to not just recover, but to build back better.”



The £5.3m repurposed capital funding from the Transforming Towns programme will be used to fund adaptions in town centres to facilitate trading and public safety in response to Coronavirus. This will include improvements such as outdoor awnings, seating, heating, screening, small green infrastructure schemes, electricity supply and lighting as well as the temporary use of vacant buildings and the establishment of local markets.



Mike Hedges  MS added:



“These actions will provide a sense of wellbeing, safety and confidence to encourage people to return to the high street.”



The announcement comes the day before the second meeting of the Ministerial Town Centre Action Group which looks at how best to use existing funds and prioritise further actions and resources to bolster town centres in the short and long term.



ENDS



Notes 



The £90m Transforming Towns fund, announced in January, set out a package of support for town centres building on the £800 million investment in town centres by Welsh Government since 2014.



This investment is delivering:

• Major capital projects which are repurposing empty property and land in town centres across Wales.
• Additional £10m loan funding to tackle empty and underutilised properties in town centres, which has just been opened for applications.
• £15.2 million and industry leading expertise for local authorities to address the issue of empty and neglected properties that blight our high streets.
• Green infrastructure schemes worth £9 million across Wales which will make town centres greener, more attractive and safer.
• Support for our Coastal Towns and Communities through the Coastal Communities Fund.
• funding for local authorities to introduce innovative local initiatives to boost town centres – these include a focus on marketing and branding (including shop local campaigns), master planning, embracing digital and tackling empty properties.