11. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government’s plan for regeneration in Newport? OAQ(5)0153(CC)

I thank the Member for Newport West. Welsh Government has an important role in working with a range of partners in supporting resilient communities in all parts of Wales. Further details of a new regeneration programme will shortly be announced, and the regeneration priorities for Newport will need to feed into those considerations.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Two weeks ago, I joined Newport City Homes, Gwent Police officers, local residents and councillors on a walk around the recently started £7.9 million redevelopment in Pill. The improvements are long overdue and this project will help tackle anti-social behaviour and make a real difference to those living there. These ambitious plans are as a result of work with a dedicated group of residents, including young people, retailers and the wider community, working with the housing association. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree that putting residents at the heart of plans for regeneration from the beginning of the project through to delivery is crucial for success?

Of course, and I’m grateful for the Member’s involvement in that scheme. I’ve visited Pill three times over the last six months to see what progress has been made and it was remarkable only last week, when I visited on my last occasion. The Member’s right to raise the issue of community involvement because it’s their community and we’ve got to make sure that it’s built in the resilience about taking that forward for the future. And I’m encouraged by the work of all of those agencies that are involved. I’ve asked my team directly now to get involved in the public services board of Newport to make sure that we can have some leverage in terms of making sure we can turn that community around in Pill, to make it a success as it once was when it flourished in the years gone by.

Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary.