We now move to the final item on our agenda this afternoon, which is the short debate. I call on John Griffiths to speak on the topic he has chosen. John Griffiths.

Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. I intend to give Jane Bryant two minutes, Llywydd, and Mohammad Asghar a minute to speak in this debate, following their requests. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity of this short debate, which I hope to use to highlight the ways that well-thought-through regeneration plans can help reinvigorate a city like Newport and give the city, and indeed its wider region, the thriving future we need. Newport, of course, was a docks town and a centre of industry, particularly for steel, for many years. Steel, of course, is still very important as an industry in Newport, and the challenge ahead is to maintain and grow our existing strengths such as steel, while also developing new jobs and growth that will make the city thrive again in the twenty-first century, as it has in the past.

The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.

Many communities in Wales and beyond have had similar experiences to those of Newport over the last few decades. The changing nature of work and the decline of heavy industry has seen a fall in traditional jobs, and these changes have questioned how we will prosper again. So, I welcome the opportunity to use this debate to highlight how this challenge is being met in Newport and how a brighter future is being forged.

One of the key themes behind the reinvigoration of Newport is partnership. Partnership is absolutely central. Collaboration between Welsh Government, local government, the private sector, the third sector, universities and many others is driving this regeneration forward. And there is also recognition of the importance of the partnership between the citizens of Newport and their council. It’s a different kind of partnership to the one that drives major developments, but it is absolutely crucial to the city’s success.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I will talk about both types of partnership today. One of the first things I must mention is a flagship development I’ve raised in this Chamber and outside many times before. Newport’s Friars Walk retail and leisure scheme is the cornerstone of Newport’s regeneration and has been key to attracting further inward investment into the city. It’s been central to Newport council’s plans to encourage a greater vitality of business and, indeed, use of new residential space in the city. With the council working closely with the developers, this £100 million scheme has brought jobs, retail and leisure back into the very heart of the city. But the plans went much wider than Friars Walk. The council made an ambitious and strong bid for funding from the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places framework. This bid was successful, and £15 million in grants and a £1.2 million loan were awarded for various regeneration plans. Across a range of projects, this has seen 35 properties invested in through grants or loans, it has seen skills, jobs and training delivered, and it has had a significant effect. In fact, Newport delivered the first major housing scheme to be completed under Vibrant and Viable Places, with a major project on its Cardiff Road. A mix of properties have been delivered in partnership with housing associations, both those for sale at market rate and affordable homes for those in need, together with properties for rent.

The economic impact has been watched carefully. Between Friars Walk and the schemes funded by Vibrant and Viable Places, the council calculates that over 1,200 jobs have been created, and, out of 600 people in need of employment support in the central area of the city, 340 have been helped into work through work-based skills training, funded with Vibrant and Viable Places money. There have been construction traineeships created, and 37 local construction suppliers have successfully secured contracts, helping to keep local jobs local and boost the Welsh economy. Small businesses are being helped through a business development fund. Over £96 million additional private investment has been attracted by the schemes, which is an important mark of success, I believe. Public money has unlocked this extra investment and it’s brought additional growth. And, of course, small businesses, as we all know, I believe, are the very lifeblood of our local and national economies.

Dirprwy Lywydd, the success of these schemes should be celebrated, but it is only part of the picture of the positive developments happening across Newport. For example, the Glan Llyn housing and business development in my constituency—in fact, on part of the old Llanwern steel-making site—will provide 4,000 homes and 6,000 jobs over the next 20 years. We have a very important project, which will see Coleg Gwent and the University of South Wales working together in partnership with the council and private sector to develop a major knowledge quarter in the city centre, at the riverside. This will be anchored around the existing university city centre campus and would involve the relocation of Coleg Gwent’s Newport campus from Nash in the city to that riverfront site. It would put further education and higher education in the faces of local people with its central location and, I believe, greatly strengthen progression routes from FE into higher education.

And also, of course, we have the construction of a major convention centre due to start next year, the result of partnership between Welsh Government and the Celtic Manor. This will be Wales’s premier convention centre, and it’s estimated this will bring an economic benefit of £70 million a year into the region. And already we are seeing further growth in hotels locally, and there will be an undoubted benefit for a host of local small businesses. The date for work to start on this was announced at last week’s Newport city summit. This was the fourth such summit that Newport has held. It’s an event that brings together key partners from the public, private and third sector to share ideas and information on the major projects and developments that are happening in the city and the wider region. This year, it was very successful once again, with a strong sense of progress and further opportunity. In fact, the optimism in Newport is very heartening. It shows that, with the right leadership, investment and partnership working, the challenges that we face over the years ahead to provide good jobs, liveable space and a thriving economy can be met.

And, Dirprwy Lywydd, our local paper, the ‘South Wales Argus’ has been, and is, a champion of Newport. They are running a campaign called ‘We’re backing Newport’ to highlight and promote the city. This is about talking up the real achievements we have and showing what a good place Newport is to live, work and do business. Dirprwy Lywydd, as well as celebrating the big projects, we must also recognise our independent and small businesses. They are the very heart and backbone of our distinctive local economy and as much a part of our future as the big, major schemes, and they are crucial to our economic success. Again, they are very much recognised in the ongoing campaigns of the ‘South Wales Argus’ and by the city council and key partners.

Of course, the purpose of regeneration is to help people and to make our city a great place to live. The citizens of Newport must be central to it. The council has recognised this too, with a different sort of partnership—one that promotes Newport as a city of democracy. It’s very fitting that Newport should be promoted in that way, given our Chartist history, which I was very pleased to highlight in one the first 90-second statements here in this Chamber. It’s a very proud history that Newport City Council is now building upon with the City of Democracy.

Of course, Dirprwy Lywydd, as we all know, any city or town depends crucially on its people—it’s only as good as its population. I believe we’re very fortunate in Newport to have a resourceful local population, which has shown itself adaptable to the needs of a changing economy over a period of many years. Newport people contribute to their city very proudly and want to make it a success. When we look at the sporting field, Dirprwy Lywydd, we see that pride manifested in very strong support for Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport County AFC, the latter, of course, now properly restored to the football league and I hope remaining in the football league for many years to come.

So, in conclusion, Dirprwy Lywydd, I will continue, and I know that colleagues will continue, to support the efforts of all those working towards a brighter future for Newport, my home town and, now, of course, home city. We must build on the strong progress that we’ve made in recent times. I strongly believe that Newport’s advantages, including geographical location and its transport and communication links, will help ensure that the city’s most exciting times lie ahead.

Thank you to my fellow Newportonian, John Griffiths, for showcasing our city here today. I agree wholeheartedly with the points that John has made. Newport city centre has a renewed vibrancy, not least because of Friars Walk, which has brought flagship retail and restaurants, along with the invaluable independent businesses—some that have stayed in Newport through thick and thin—and new exciting businesses such as Parc Pantry, Crafted and the award-winning Tiny Rebel Brewery Co., which are just a couple of examples.

There’s so much more to come. John has mentioned a new world-class convention centre at the Celtic Manor, which will be another string to Newport’s bow, and not just to Newport’s bow, but Wales’s. We have one of the first UK proton beam therapy units for cancer treatment about to open in the west of the city, and I’ve spoken in the Chamber before about the plan of the Office of National Statistics to develop a data hub.

I’m personally proud, as someone who was born and brought up and lives in Newport, of our cultural and sporting heritage. With the Roman remains at Caerleon, a rich medieval maritime history, our majestic transporter bridge and the elegant Tredegar House, along with the historic parks, such as Belle Vue. Our unique Chartist history puts Newport at the forefront of a modern democracy. Our industrial and musical past and present attracts people to our city. From the Tredegar House Folk Festival to the Caerleon arts festival, we’ve a rich history and we’re a city that must continue to rise.

I am grateful to John Griffiths for bringing this debate forward this afternoon. I love Newport. It is the place I chose to make my home more than 45 years ago, but like many other towns and cities, Newport has suffered due to changes in shopping habits. The latest Local Data Company report ranks Newport as one of the worst-performing town centres for retail and leisure vacancies, with a rate of over 25 per cent. It is good to see, therefore, the work that is going on to regenerate the city. We have already seen the success of the Friars Walk project. The company behind Friars Walk, Queensberry Real Estate has plans to create a public square to regenerate the southern part of Commercial Street—this is very good news. But we must attract more visitors to Newport.

Deputy Presiding Officer, over five years ago, in this Chamber, I raised the point for a convention centre in Wales. I’m glad that Sir Terry Matthews has understood our belief and, after five years, something is moving on. I’m very excited about the plan for an international convention centre that John has just mentioned. It is a £21 billion industry for the United Kingdom, and I’m sure we’ll be having a big share out of it. We have already seen the benefit of holding the Ryder Cup and the NATO summit in the Celtic Manor, and an international convention centre can build on that success and bring at least £17 million a year to that area in Newport. I’m sure everyone will join with me in welcoming the development and recognising the huge contribution it will make to ensure that Newport remains a city on the rise and one of the best in Wales.

Thank you very much. I call the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children to reply to the debate—Carl Sargeant.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The great transporter suspension bridge; Dame Butler; Goldie Lookin Chain; Newport City Football Club; John Griffiths—his passion for Newport is, as always, inspiring, and these are just some of the things that give Newport its fame. He is a strong champion for the city and a determined advocate of action to ensure it continues to fulfil its potential.

Deputy Llywydd, I’m a Cabinet Secretary from the north, as you are very well aware, and I can say that Newport is blessed to have two of the finest Assembly Members in the south in their area—John Griffiths and Jayne Bryant—and I’m very pleased to be able to work with them. Their contribution here today says an awful lot about them and the city they represent. I welcome the opportunity to highlight the positive work that is being undertaken in this city and I’d like to echo the praise for some of the notable achievements already expressed in this debate today. Although, my slight disappointment is that, in my three visits to the city over the last two weeks, I haven’t yet found the Tiny Rebel brewery, but I’ll rely on Jayne Bryant to give me an introduction, perhaps. [Laughter.] As John Griffiths quite rightly says, Newport is a city on the rise; Newport is a city that’s moving in the right direction. Indeed, the Newport rising of the Chartists in 1839—I believe if John was old enough, he’d have been at the forefront of that, too.

Newport has been flying the flag in Wales in recent years, and has played host, very successfully, to privileged and prestigious events, such as the NATO summit in September 2014, drawing in leaders from across the world—President Obama in Newport; even he’s heard about it. And, of course, that followed the memorable Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor in 2010. These events have put Newport and Wales on the map, and when the eyes of the world were upon us, Wales delivered—Newport delivered. We are fully aware of these events and they’re a starting point for the city and a fantastic springboard for further progress. So, the council and others need to be able to harness the positive effects of major events like these, to ensure that the benefits are felt through other local communities as well—indeed, in Hefin’s constituency, which is neighbouring—helping them to build resilience and becoming more prosperous as we move forward. A successful and thriving Newport isn’t just good for local residents; it benefits the surrounding areas too, and provides wider opportunities. We often hear, as I do in the north, about cities and places that compete with each other, and Newport being the second or the third town of south Wales. I think you’re coming close to the top, and I think, because of the work that you do as a collective—team Labour, John Griffiths and Jayne Bryant, working with Debbie Wilcox and the Labour team, and formerly Bob Bright—that’s shown we can rebuild our communities. I’m very proud to be part of that.

Through our capital regeneration programme, Vibrant and Viable Places, we provided £16 million of Vibrant and Viable Places capital funding to improve the new housing, to improve housing conditions, develop local infrastructure, and the key buildings that Members have alluded to today. Indeed, I was very pleased to visit Friars Walk in the city centre. There’s a whole new vibrancy around that area, and it’s a fantastic place to develop new business and to support employment, supporting the local community. But it’s not by chance—this has come about by planning, and the support of the local authority, and I hope that continues into the future.

I mentioned earlier that I visited Newport on three occasions in the last week, the latest being this morning—indeed, I was at the football ground that John Griffiths often appears at—not playing, but he’s an avid fan, and long may that continue, too. It’s great to know that the team are in the league that he was hoping for.

A fortnight ago I saw first-hand some of these excellent projects. The work undertaken at the national building demonstrates what can be achieved through strong partnership working—exactly what John Griffiths was talking about. The project now provides businesses premises, as well as 12 new homes in that city. Indeed, it was a privilege to open a new children’s nursery, which is a business that’s been able to expand due to the new facilities within a newly refurbished national building—a fantastic facility. The housing estate properties on Cardiff Road—again, I recognise all of these as transformational for this fine city.

Llywydd, I think there is a great journey for Newport, demonstrated by the vision of individuals as they pass through that community, but now people are not just passing through—they’re stopping and thinking and working, with an opportunity for involvement and investing there. Again, there is no shortage to the work undertaken by my good friend John Griffiths. I wish Newport the very best of luck, and I hope that progress continues, working with partners such as Newport City Homes and other partners, indeed, that work in that area. I think there is a great opportunity for all of us to say, ‘We’re backing Newport’, like the campaign, and that’s been highlighted today with the contribution by Members in this Chamber. I wish them the best of luck and hope that Newport continues to rise as a city for the future here in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you very much. That brings today’s proceedings to a close. Thank you.

The meeting ended at 18:53.