9. How is the Welsh Government supporting high-street businesses? OQ58024

Thank you for the question. Our £136 million Transforming Towns programme focuses on the diversification and sustainable growth of our town and city centres. A number of the interventions include the reuse of derelict and empty buildings—we heard some of that in previous questions around Newport—increasing the variety of and access to leisure, services, and flexible working venues, mixed-use space and improved green infrastructure. 

Thank you, Minister, for the response. Llywydd, I welcome the recent figures provided by the Welsh Retail Consortium, which showed that the number of empty retail units in Wales has fallen 2.3 per cent over the past 12 months. This is the biggest fall in the UK, which is great. However, it's not all positive news. Despite the reduction, Wales has the second highest vacancy rate in the UK, and whilst the recovery hasn't been even, with some high streets faring better than others, there are further challenges, such as the cost-of-living pressures as well as the partial reintroduction of business rates. Minister, what further interventions is the Welsh Government considering to help attract businesses back into the high street? Is the Government considering boosting the financial support on offer to micro and small businesses in Wales provided by the Development Bank of Wales to encourage the creation of more local businesses, and particularly to those people wanting to start a business but who may find it difficult to access the finance provided by high-street banks? Finally, what consideration has there been of schemes to empower local councils to bring long-term and derelict empty properties back into use, which are a blight on many communities? Thank you.

Thank you. DBW will continue to make capital available for start-up businesses and microbusinesses, as the Member has indicated. He may also be aware that we provided specific funds to help start-ups in a range of sectors, not just in town centres but a range of others too. We're committed to continuing to do so. When it comes to the broader challenge of high streets and town and district centres—for those of us who have an interest in cities, there are many district centres that are in many ways equivalent to town centres in other parts of the country—the Deputy Minister for Climate Change has established a town centre delivery group and in a recent meeting we've made sure that we joined up the work that he is leading on in that area and his responsibilities for regeneration together with the coming launch of a retail strategy that brings together trade unions and, indeed, businesses themselves. So, retail is part of the answer but not the only answer for ensuring that we have vibrant town and district centres, and that's why a 'town centre first' principle is an important consideration within this. So, I do welcome this recognition that there is some good news in this space, but I think there's more to be done to ensure there really is a vibrant future for our towns and communities around them.