2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:34 pm on 5 November 2019.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 2:34, 5 November 2019

Could I ask for a statement on measures to tackle empty former commercial premises, including long unused petrol stations like that at the entrance to Ogmore vale, or the empty and dilapidated factory shell at the entrance to Evanstown in my constituency, which, just like empty and abandoned homes, can blight communities terribly. Yet, business owners and absentee landlords can sit on these properties with business rate reductions or exemptions for years and years, and even decades, and, despite the best efforts of local authorities to work with those owners and landlords, and agents, they remain crumbling eyesores. Now, yes, local authorities have measures they can take on matters like environmental health and safety and security, but this merely maintains the buildings in a state of near dereliction—they are zombie commercial premises and they bring a community down. So, could we have a statement on how Welsh Government can explore new streamlined measures for local authorities to tackle these empty commercial zombie properties, and an update on what powers and incentives currently exist as well?

And, secondly, could I call for a statement or a debate on the subject of the Men's Sheds movement, calling attention to the growth of this fantastic movement, which does so much for men's mental health and well-being, from its start in Wales, in the Squirrel's Nest in Tondu, in my constituency, to now a nationwide network of sheds, involving, yes, mature men, but also women's sheds and youth sheds, too. And I'll also be drawing attention in the coming weeks to this celebration of Men's Sheds here in the Senedd, as I'll be hosting here a launch event in the Senedd on Tuesday 19 November, with the help of sheds from all over Wales, and inviting all colleagues to join with me, and it would be great to have a debate that coincided with that.