Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:14 pm on 11 June 2024.
Thank you very much. Some excellent questions there, which I think many of us probably recognise in our own town centres as they're going through a huge amount of change. So, I think what I'd probably point to in response to many of the issues that you raised with me then is the Transforming Towns programme that we have. That was initiated in 2020 and that is what we're aiming to use to revitalise and sustainably develop the town centres across Wales, and it's underpinned by the placemaking principles that I referred to just last week when we were doing questions to the economy Cab Secretary, and it fulfills the key programme for government commitment, which is £100 million allocated over three years between 2022 and 2025 for various eligible activities. So, that's partly the development fund, that's the placemaking grant, that's the strategic funding as well.
In relation to what you were saying about public toilets, Joel James, this is something that I'm extremely worried about myself. What's been really sad is that, usually, it's town councils who've come up with the money—because there's such a need, isn't there—within their own budgets to find a place to have a public toilet, which are not cheap to run. And then, when there's a change then to the town, that kind of gets lost, and that's why I think it's absolutely crucial to have really key voices, our voices and Members of the Senedd voices as well, and councillors' voices there, always ensuring that all of the funds and the grants that I've just mentioned, that public toilets are always at the heart of this. We need more of them, I absolutely agree with you, and I will take that on board going forward.
When it comes to the car parks, I know there are a number of councils who have set aside money in their budgets so that they can have some free hours, at least, maybe three free hours or a certain time of the day, to try and help the town centres and the retail sector. Unfortunately, I know that due to the pressures on budgets at the moment, many have had to withdraw that, but that is something that I know that they do listen to the retailers about and try to recognise that having that place to just be able to drop in and do a few things and buy a couple of things makes a huge difference.
In terms of going forward, though, I'm very hopeful for the upcoming bus Bill. I would ultimately like to see, and many people tell me that they would like to see, more bus links going towards the town centres, and hopefully then going on to our train stations and having that link-up as well, so that you can get out and about and go even further and visit other town centres and retail across Wales.
And I think a lot of what you were talking about as well comes back to the regeneration that we have going on across a lot of our town centres and leisure facilities across Wales. I think that the retail sector is really crucial to this. Every discussion that I've had with them, they're really alive to this. It is about making sure that they're not overshadowed by the new and shiny that comes in, or even the new units that are put in. We have to make sure that everybody has a voice. But thank you ever so much for your contribution, especially on the free public toilets. I will absolutely incorporate that into my future discussions with the sector. Diolch.