Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Marc Wyn Jones 

Media

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Items
Expected timing No. Item

Transcript

View the meeting transcript.

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

1.1 Apologies for absence were received from Gwenda Thomas, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Mick Antoniw and Rhun ap Iorwerth.

(09.30-10.30)

2.

Regeneration of town centres - follow-up scrutiny

Lesley Griffiths, The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty

Kath Palmer, Deputy Director, Homes and Places

Steffan Roberts, Regeneration Manager, Homes and Places

Neil Hemington, Head of Planning, Planning Directorate

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1 Lesley Griffiths, The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Kath Palmer, Steffan Roberts and Neil Hemington answered questions from Members of the Committee.

2.2 The Minister agreed to provide further information on the following:

·         A note on the footfall statistics for Bargoed, following the location of Morrisons in the town centre.

·         Information on the criteria used to allocate funding from the Tackling Poverty Fund, Vibrant and Viable Places and clarification on how it coincides with the Town Centre First policy with specific reference to the example of the funding provided for Barry Island.

·         A note on why it appears the Welsh Government’s ‘town centre first’ policy is only being applied in practice to retail and not to the location of office developments or the location of local authority services and staff.

(10.40-11.25)

3.

Regeneration of town centres

Andy Godfrey, Chair of the Local Government Policy Advisory Group, British Retail Consortium and Public Policy Manager for Boots

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 Andy Godfrey answered questions from Members of the Committee.

(11.25-12.25)

4.

Regeneration of town centres

Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive, Swansea Business Improvement District

Antonia Pompa, Co-ordinator, Merthyr Tydfil Business Improvement District

Ojay McDonald, Policy Manager, Association of Town and City Management

Rhiannon Kingsley, Town Centre Manager, Bridgend County Borough Council

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1 Russell Greenslade, Antonia Pompa, Ojay McDonald and Rhiannon Kingsley answered questions from Members of the Committee.

4.2 Ojay McDonald agreed to provide a copy of the ATCM’s report on their consultation on business rates when the consultation has ended.

4.3 Russell Greenslade agreed to provide further information on the advantages of Business Improvement Districts and the activities of the Swansea Business Improvement District.

5.

Papers to note

5.1

ATCM Report on Town Centre Parking

Report provided by ATCM on town centre parking

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1.1 The paper was noted by the Committee.