TOWN centres are at the heart of Welsh life, but more needs to be done to help their regeneration according to two new reports.

The reports – Small Towns, Big Issues and Regenerating Town Centres in Wales looked at how town centres can be given a boost and what needs to be done to allow them to thrive.

Small Towns, Big Issues, was prepared by Manchester Business School Professor Karel Williams and follows an in-depth study of Bangor, Bridgend and Haverfordwest town centres.

Regenerating Town Centres was prepared by Audit Wales. Both reports concluded that town and city centres are at the heart of Welsh life but addressing the challenges they face requires ‘imagination and ambitious leadership’ and backed up by ‘co-ordinated, cross-government decision making.’

They have made specific recommendations for both Welsh Government and local authorities covering access to public transport, effective promotion of town centres and the simplification of funding streams.

Deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters, visited Bangor to meet with local leaders and heads of community organisations to discuss the findings and reveal how the Welsh Government will respond to the reports. He was also joined by Professor Williams.

He said: “We need joined-up intervention to lift town centres, and an effort to tackle out-of-town development, if we are to succeed in turning things around.”

He also stressed the need to focus on dealing with out-of-town developments.

Mr Waters said: “Town and city centres are the places most of us can walk to, or get public transport from, and they provide common access points into many transport routes.

“We want better jobs and services in town centres where people can access them without needing to get in their car.

“Both reports make clear that we have all failed to control out of town development and we need to mobilise alliances for change in our town centres to turn things round.

“Our Town Centre First principle, embedded in Wales’ national development plan Future Wales, means that town and city centre sites should be the first consideration for all decisions on the location of workplaces and services.”

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Mr Waters outlined the action the Welsh Government would take at a round table at Bangor’s Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre.

He said: “Today, I am pleased to confirm that our ministerial town centre action group, which I will lead and will include our key stakeholders for town centre regeneration, will oversee the implementation of the recommendations made in both reports.

“In addition to this, I am establishing three sub-groups, one of which will lead on finding ways to incentivise town centre development but also disincentive out of town development.

“A second group will look at how we can further streamline the funding offer under the Transforming Towns programme and simplify its processes.

“The final group will look at planning and engaging with communities so that they have a say in what happens in their town.

“With the oversight and challenge of my ministerial group, these groups will develop the solutions needed to secure the sustainability of our towns for future generations.”

He also confirmed the government will make an additional £5 million of loan funding available as part of Transforming Towns this financial year - £60 million in loan funding has already been provided to support town centre regeneration.

“This additional funding shows our commitment to revitalising our town centres and putting them at the heart of everything we do.

“I look forward to seeing how this money is invested into opportunities to improve our town centres.”