6. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the work of the Vibrant and Viable Places strategy? OAQ(5)0160(CC)

Thank you for the question. The Vibrant and Viable Places capital regeneration programme has been successful in providing support and investment across many communities across Wales. I will be announcing further details regarding a new capital regeneration programme shortly.

In my constituency, the town-centre partnership fund element of VVP was used to support important town-centre initiatives like the colourfully named Yabba Dabba Dare and Faberdare, which played an important role in bringing people into Aberdare town centre. Whilst acknowledging that the programme was always crafted as a finite scheme, what support can the Welsh Government offer to similar community-driven events in the future to enable them to attract people into our towns and villages?

Of course, the opportunities that the VVP programme has given have transformed some areas across Wales, and I will be giving that further consideration. My team didn’t believe that I would dare to say ‘Yabba Dabba Dare’ today in the Chamber, but I have, and I congratulate them again on the work that they have done in your community, making a real difference. The programme I intend to launch in the next couple of months will give more details about how opportunities like this can be taken forward not only in your Cynon Valley seat, but also in areas across Wales.

I’m delighted to also commend the regeneration of Aberdare town centre. [Interruption.] I like being generous. It really is one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of use of this sort of money, and it does remind people of ‘the Queen of the Valleys’, as I think Aberdare used to be called.

I want to talk about housing renewal. Will you assure us that this will still be a central focus? The use of area-based housing-led regeneration programmes is really important, especially when it uses as many local businesses and employees living locally as possible, too.

I think David Melding was going to say ‘yabba dabba doo’ there at one point, if I was right. This is going to be great in translation, I would suggest. [Laughter.] But can I share with the Member that I think it was important that the VPP scheme did have a focus on housing regeneration alongside the general regeneration of a particular area. It still is a priority for this Government. We’ve got 20,000 homes to build, and I would see that VPP plays a part in that too.

It’s been exciting to see the difference that Vibrant and Viable Places funding has made to the town of Holyhead, where a number of projects have taken place or are in the pipeline. But, of course, the economic problems aren’t limited to those areas that have been identified for investment through this funding to date. So, what assurance can the Minister give that other areas will be able to take advantage of such opportunities in the near future? I include rural areas, which suffer the same social and economic problems, and, specifically in my constituency, Amlwch, which has suffered social and economic pressure for many generations now. When will we have the same opportunities as those that have been enjoyed in Holyhead?

Of course, the Member is right to raise the issue that there are many areas across Wales that need regeneration input in terms of some finance. But what I’m cautious not to do is spread the jam too thinly so that everybody gets a little bit but actually it doesn’t make as big an impact as it should do. I want that to be determined locally, so local authorities have those decisions. Of course, the bids, when they come in, if it’s a rural scheme that wishes to be the priority of the local authority, then so be it, but I’m making sure that we have the biggest impact for the financial investment that we make.