Campaigners Thank Mary Portas for Championing Proposals Made By Communities
14th December 2011
For immediate release
Campaigners Thank Mary Portas for Championing Proposals Made By Communities
Local Works, a coalition of over 100 national organisations,
including the Association of Convenience Stores, the Federation of
Small Businesses and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents,
today thanked Marty Portas for her high street review championing a
number of ideas made by communities using the Sustainable
Communities Act.
The Sustainable Communities Act was passed in 2007 specifically
to address the problem of 'Ghost Town Briatin' - declining
communities and high streets and the closure of shops, pubs and
post offices around the country. Under the Act, communities and
councils are able to put forward ideas to government for changes to
prevent this decline.
A number of popular ideas put forward under the Act appear in Ms
Portas's twenty eight recommendations for saving our high
streets, published today, including putting betting shops into a
separate 'Use Class' of their own, supporting community use
of empty business premises, and giving councils powers to give
business rate concessions to new local businesses.
Campaigners for the Act welcomed the fact that Ms Portas had
endorsed ideas that have come up from grassroots community groups.
Steve Shaw, National Co-ordinator of Local Works, said:
"It's great to see Mary Portas championing so many
ideas that have come up from the grassroots. It's really
refreshing to see someone recognise that ordinary people have the
solutions to local problems. If high streets are to be saved,
it's going to have to involve local people - they're the
ones that use the high street."
Mr Shaw warned Ms Portas however that government may not
necessarily endorse her ideas:
"It is disappointing to note that government rejected some
of the ideas that Mary is recommending in her review when it
considered them under the Sustainable Communities Act, such as
creating a new use class for betting shops. We urge the government
to recognise the value of these ideas for regenerating our high
streets and get on with implementing them."
The Local Works coalition was formed to campaign for the
Sustainable Communities Act to become law. The Act sets up a
radical new 'bottom-up' process where communities and
councils can submit proposals to government. Government then has a
duty not just to 'consult' but to 'try and reach
agreement' on them, meaning a process of dialogue and
discussion where. Since the Act's passing in 2007, Local Works
have been inspiring and helping communities and councils to use it.
-Ends-
Notes for Journalists
Contact:
Steve Shaw, Local Works Campaign Co-ordinator
(w)020 7278 4443 (m) 07788 646933 steve@localworks.org
Local Works Coalition Members include:
Association of Convenience Stores
Age UK
Campaign for Better Transport
Campaign for Community Banking Services
CAMRA - the Campaign for Real Ale
Communication Workers Union
Community Recycling Network
Conservative Party
Co-operative Group
Countryside Alliance
CTC - The National Cyclists Organisation
FARMA - the National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association
Food Links UK
Friends of the Earth
Garden Organic
Green Party
Greenpeace
Law Society
Local Government Information Unit
Living Streets
National Association of Local Councils
New Economics Foundation
National Federation of Retail Newsagents
National Federation of Sub-Postmasters
National Pharmacy Association
National Pensioners' Convention
Public and Commercial Services Union
Rural Shops Alliance
Socialist Environment and Resources Association
Shelter
Society of Independent Brewers
Soil Association
Sustrans
UNISON
Womens' Environmental Network
Women's Institute
The Act received full cross party support in Parliament when it
became law in October 2007
For more information on the Sustainable Communities Act visit the Local Works website: www.localworks.org
