Labour will tomorrow [Thursday] unveil proposals to secure the
future of Britain’s high streets after the pandemic.
In a speech ahead of next week’s Budget, Labour’s Shadow
Chancellor will accuse
the Conservatives of presiding “over a decade of decline in
Britain’s high streets that has left our economy insecure and the
foundations of our society weakened.”
The Shadow Chancellor will announce new proposals to secure
Britain’s high streets post-pandemic and to give local
communities a stake in their future, including:
- Reversing new planning rules introduced by the Conservatives
that would enable Britain’s high streets to be sold off to the
highest bidder for poor quality housing, without planning
permission.
- Giving councils new powers to repurpose commercial properties
that have been vacant for at least 12 months to bring them back
into continued use.
- Calling on the Government to ensure its much-delayed review
of business rates leads to wholesale reform so that high street
shops compete on a level playing field with their online
competitors.
The Labour leader will be visiting Crawley on Thursday to discuss the
proposals with local council leaders.
Speaking ahead of her speech, , Labour’s
Shadow Chancellor, said:
“Britain’s high streets are at the heart of local communities. It
is not just a string of shops and post offices, it’s a place that
people want to have pride in. The high street goes to the heart
of Labour’s vision to make Britain the best place to grow up and
grow old in.
“However, the Conservatives have presided over a decade of
decline in Britain’s high streets that has left our economy
insecure and the foundations of our society weakened.
“Labour’s plan would help secure the future of the high street.
It would give local communities a proper stake in their town
centres, support new businesses to open up on our high streets
and help rebuild our economy post-pandemic.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- Labour would introduce a new ‘Empty Shops Order’, which
enables councils to bring commercial properties that have been
left vacant for 12 months back into use. The council would first
work with the owner of the empty shop to bring it back into
continued use. If that has not been successful, the local council
would then have the power to secure management rights, carry out
works and then put the property to use without the consent of the
owner. The council would be permitted to charge rent (though it
would not be obliged to), and after having recouped the cost of
carrying out works and putting the property back to use, that
rent would then pass to the property owner.
- Mary Portas made a similar recommendation in her 2011 review
into the future of our high streets, but which was rejected by
the government: “Another option which could be useful in some
situations would be to introduce new powers for councils to enter
and upgrade when landlords are negligent. Councils can already
take over the management of long-term privately owned empty
homes. They should be able to do the same for empty shops on the
high street, with “Empty Shop Management Orders”. Local
authorities could then enter and upgrade strategic properties
that have been left empty. They could manage them, rent them and
maybe even use the frontage for advertising as a way to generate
extra revenue, just as the shopping centres do.”
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6292/2081646.pdf
- Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, will
deliver a speech to the Institute of Global Prosperity at the
University College London, where she will underline Labour’s
ambition to make every part of Britain the best place to grow
up in and to grow old in.
When: 1545 for 1600 start, Thursday 25 February
Where: Streamed live online at http://labour.org.uk/adspeech
Format: Speech followed by virtual audience
Q&A
Open to all who register to attend:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/delivering-a-jobs-rich-recovery-with-anneliese-dodds-mp-tickets-133062237735
