Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:53 pm on 25 October 2022.
Please can I ask for a statement from the Minister for Economy about what work the Welsh Government is doing to boost pre-Christmas trade for our hard-working town-centre businesses? I'm a firm believer that we should be doing all we can to help businesses thrive, not just survive, across Wales, and they face rising cost-of-living pressures and continue to deal with the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. In my region of south-east Wales, I've launched a new initiative to give businesses a much-needed boost in the run-up to the festive period and increase footfall in our town centres. I've written to all the leaders of all the local authorities across south-east Wales, asking them to back my proposals and work with me to make this a reality. My plan is to see car parking fees scrapped in all council-controlled car parks throughout December in a bid to encourage more people to get out and about as the festive period approaches. Not only will businesses benefit as a result of free car parking, but it would also go a long way in helping families who are feeling the financial squeeze. Many town centres across the UK have rolled out similar schemes, which have been incredibly successful, and I do appreciate that Monmouth council has indeed embarked upon this as well. So, any support the Welsh Government can give to my initiative would be greatly appreciated, and I'd also appreciate if the economy Minister could outline how exactly he is working with local authorities and other stakeholders to help Welsh business in the run-up to Christmas.