The small shop has long been at the heart of every community. We are a nation of shopkeepers and proud of it and this government, too, wants to see thriving local shops and traders and busy high streets. The special role of shops was clear to see this summer in the aftermath of the riots. All across the country, communities rallied round, picking up brooms in their droves to clean up ‘their streets’. Pledges were made to shop locally and post-it notes pinned to shop fronts made it clear that attacks on high streets, local shops and business were attacks on our communities.
We know times are tough and businesses need some respite. Hundreds have already benefited from the £20m High Street Support Scheme announced in swift response to the summer disturbances. We are adamant that mon- Bob neill ey available must reach those who need it and we have extended the deadline for councils submitting funding claims until the new year.
Last October, we also doubled small business rate relief, helping half a million small businesses for two years. We have made it easier for small shops to reapply for the discounts. And councils will soon have an incentive to reward them for helping shops thrive – the Localism Bill, which has been passed by parliament, gives them the power to offer special local discounts to support the high street or small struggling local shops.
We know that keeping town centres first is vital to the success of small traders and that is why it remains a key part of our planning reforms. Instead of stifling development, we want a system that allows innovation and growth. The draft National Planning Policy Framework does exactly that, protecting the high street and allowing it to flourish. It states clearly that councils should recognise the central role of town centres in communities and pursue policies that will allow them to thrive. It also provides a boost to the high street by scrapping bureaucratic, overbearing centrally- imposed parking restrictions. This has freed councils to set parking policies that are right for their area and based on local needs, making life easier for shoppers.
As well as the right planning environment, businesses also need the right economic environment. The government is determined to help ensure Britain is the best place in the world to start and grow businesses and we believe this begins at the local level.
By creating local enterprise partnerships we have recognised that economic renewal needs local input. Twenty-two Enterprise Zones across the country, run locally, will generate local growth, thousands of jobs and attract hundreds of new start-ups. They are just one of over 100 ideas the government put forward in its Plan for Growth to create the conditions for strong, sustainable, balanced growth.
Throughout the long history of the high street, shops and small businesses have proven themselves to be innovative, diverse and ready to tackle challenges. We want to continue to do all we can to best serve our shops and small businesses and enable them to maintain their role at the heart of communities.
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