The recent collapse of Wilko shows how our high streets are in an incredibly precarious situation. Our City and Town Centres have never been so vulnerable to competitive factors like online shopping and out of town shopping centres.
Matthew Relf is the UK’s most successful councillor in fighting for and winning inward investment. In Ashfield, he has led the team that bid for and won over £100million of regeneration cash. Dozens of projects have now been launched or are in the process of being launched which will transform the District.
Councillor Matthew Relf believes that the absence of party politics in Ashfield is a major contributory factor. He will roll out his unique style of collaborative working and will work with every city, town and village in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Matthew said, “The Conservative Government’s main ambition of Levelling Up has failed. It has fallen victim to party politics. As a region, it has increased inequalities, with progress being made in places like Ashfield but places like Arnold, Bolsover, Bulwell, Eastwood, Erewash, Gedling, Glossop, Hucknall and Nottingham City lost out. Councils across our region spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on Levelling Up and Towns Fund bids that were doomed to fail. That work will not be wasted if I become Mayor however, and I will work with all Councils who failed in previous bids and prioritise them. I will kickstart projects at Angel Meadow and Broadmarsh.”
Councillor Relf will also work at offering incentives to ensure our City, Town and Villages don’t just survive but strive. He will encourage local economic development and entrepreneurship using reduced business rates to incentivise local traders. He fight to get control of the setting of business rates to allow him the flexibility to target various areas left behind by Levelling Up.