Supporting our high streets after COVID-19

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 8 Jul 2020 Closed: 17 May 2022 Parliament page
The inquiry will examine the long-term consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak on the future of the high street. It is interested in how government, at all levels, can mitigate the economic and social impact and develop policies to ensure high streets remain the centre of local communities. The Committee will … Read more
39 Recommendations
1 Conclusion
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
4 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
17 May
2022
Correspondence
29 Mar
2022
Report published
29 Mar
2022
Correspondence
10 Dec
2021
Report published
20 Jul
2021
Correspondence
5 Jul
2021
Oral evidence
10 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
13 May
2021
Oral evidence
11 Jan
2021
Oral evidence
2 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
8 Sep
2020
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
5 Jul 2021
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Oral evidence
Kate O'Neill · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Luke Hall · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Paul Scully · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
10 Jun 2021
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Oral evidence
Professor Carlos Moreno · Panthéon Sorbonne University, IAE Paris Professor Chan Heng Chee · Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Professor Ricky Burdett · London School of Economics
13 May 2021
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Oral Evidence
Darren Pearce · Sheffield Meadowhall Lee Frankham · BT Group Nigel Connor · JD Wetherspoon Sir John Timpson CBE · Timpson Group
11 Jan 2021
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Oral evidence
Cllr Mark Crane · District Councils Network Martin McTague · Federation of Small Businesses Paul Swinney · Centre for Cities Ros Morgan · Heart of London Business Alliance Scott Corfe · Social Market Foundation
2 Nov 2020
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Oral evidence; Oral Evidence
Dominic Curran · British Retail Consortium Michael Wheeler · Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Professor Aude Bicquelet-Lock · Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Professor Cathy Parker · Manchester Metropolitan University Robin Osterley · Charity Retail Association William Grimsey · Grimsey Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Supporting our high streets after COVID-19 HC 37 10 Dec 2021 40 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
15 results
Clear
4 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
While we consider that an immediate lessons learned review is needed, we recognise that the...
While we consider that an immediate lessons learned review is needed, we recognise that the pandemic is not over. The Government should continue to monitor the impact of the full range of covid-19 business support that affects the high street … Read more
Government Response
The government stated that it has continually monitored the economic impact of restrictions and designed funding support based on ongoing assessments, citing recent Omicron support and an external evaluation of business support grants as evidence of existing work.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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5 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
It remains the case that resilient, thriving high streets and town centres of the future...
It remains the case that resilient, thriving high streets and town centres of the future will be planned in the round in collaboration with local authorities, the business 68 Supporting our high streets after COVID-19 community (including Business Improvement Districts), … Read more
Government Response
The government states that existing policies like the National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code already emphasize adaptability, diversification, and good design for town centres. New funds like the Levelling Up Fund also support projects aligned with these principles for high street renewal.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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8 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
As our predecessor Committee recommended, retailers must adapt to changing consumer habits in order to...
As our predecessor Committee recommended, retailers must adapt to changing consumer habits in order to thrive. Retailers should especially consider how to embrace online as part of their business model, not only as a channel through which to sell products, … Read more
Government Response
The government has accepted this recommendation and is implementing the Help to Grow: Digital Scheme, which offers support and discounts to 100,000 SMEs over three years to adopt digital technologies and become multichannel.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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9 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We recommend that place partnerships and, where possible, businesses, should continually review whether store opening...
We recommend that place partnerships and, where possible, businesses, should continually review whether store opening hours are meeting people’s needs and generating maximum custom as consumers settle into life after the pandemic. We recommend that places that cannot invest in … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that places without footfall data would benefit from the High Streets Task Force's manual footfall counting program, noting that a footfall dashboard is available on the Task Force's website as part of its wider online offer.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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10 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
The future of the high street will depend in part on where people work.
The future of the high street will depend in part on where people work. It is therefore disappointing that the Government’s impact assessment of its consultation on Supporting our high streets after COVID-19 69 making flexible working the default does … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees the impact of flexible working on high streets is important and states this has been built into policy development, referencing an impact assessment published alongside a consultation on flexible working.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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12 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We are disappointed that the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy does not mention markets...
We are disappointed that the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy does not mention markets and does not introduce any new initiatives for heritage. The Government should consider what further steps it can take to support markets and local heritage … Read more
Government Response
The government clarifies that the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy is high-level and not exhaustive, but fully recognises the significant role of markets and heritage. It highlights existing support through the £95m High Street Heritage Action Zones programme and the £15m Transforming Places Through Heritage programme.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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15 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
The Government’s current approach to funding town centre regeneration—in line with its approach to allocating...
The Government’s current approach to funding town centre regeneration—in line with its approach to allocating funding to local government generally—is too complex, short-term, and fragmented. Ultimately this funding approach may hamper rather than facilitate the Government’s ambitions to build back … Read more
Government Response
The government's response highlights its proactive measures to build capacity within local authorities for current local growth funds like the Towns Fund and Levelling Up Fund, enabling them to produce robust bids. It focuses on existing support for competitive funding without committing to change the complex, fragmented, or competitive nature of the funding approach recommended by the committee.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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20 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
The Government should clarify whether any further funds will be available from the Towns Fund...
The Government should clarify whether any further funds will be available from the Towns Fund for competitive bidding, as was originally intended, or whether the Government’s position is now that authorities who wish to compete for funding for Town Deals … Read more
Government Response
The government clarified that the Towns Fund is completed and all deals have been allocated. Authorities seeking funding for Town Deals should now apply to the Levelling Up Fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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27 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We welcome the fact that the Government intends to compensate local authorities for its temporary...
We welcome the fact that the Government intends to compensate local authorities for its temporary business rates measures, though more detail on how it intends to do so is needed. The Government should set out how it intends to compensate … Read more
Government Response
The government explained that it already compensates local authorities in full for temporary business rates relief through an established data submission process, thus outlining how it continues to do so.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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28 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We welcome the consultation on transitional relief, and recognise that more frequent revaluations will go...
We welcome the consultation on transitional relief, and recognise that more frequent revaluations will go some way to helping businesses pay the correct level of business rates for their properties’ rateable values. The Government’s consultation should consider how businesses in … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged concerns about downwards transitional relief and committed to implementing a new scheme in 2023 to support businesses until the next revaluation, aiming for fairer and more responsive business rates.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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29 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We support the principle of an online sales tax and welcome the consultation.
We support the principle of an online sales tax and welcome the consultation. We particularly welcome that revenue from an online sales tax would be used to reduce business rates for retailers. The Government should provide clear timescales for the … Read more
Government Response
The government has provided clear timescales for the online sales tax consultation (25 February to 20 May 2022) and confirmed it will consider the committee's specific points, including impacts on multichannel retailers and business rates, as part of this ongoing consultation process.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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31 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We welcome the steps taken by the Government to address the issue of covid-19 related...
We welcome the steps taken by the Government to address the issue of covid-19 related commercial rent arrears. Alongside the legislation that the Government has introduced, explicit guidance will be required to define exactly what is meant by ringfencing arrears … Read more
Government Response
The government has accepted this recommendation, having already published the Commercial Rents Code of Practice on 9 November 2021, which provides explicit guidance defining ringfenced arrears, applicable periods by sector, and accounting for local restrictions as requested.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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38 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
To maximise the number of people accessing high streets by foot, bicycle, or public transport,...
To maximise the number of people accessing high streets by foot, bicycle, or public transport, the Government should ensure that the revised Manual for Streets includes clear guidance on how to make walking, cycling, and public transport accessible to people … Read more
Government Response
The government states that Section 6 of Manual for Streets already provides detailed guidance which will be updated. It also highlights that the Department for Transport has already provided guidance and planning support to local authorities for increasing walking and cycling, aligned with the Gear Change strategy.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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39 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
Local authorities should monitor the social, environmental, and economic impacts of any changes to walking,...
Local authorities should monitor the social, environmental, and economic impacts of any changes to walking, cycling, and public transport infrastructure on high streets.
Government Response
The government states that the Department for Transport already requires impacts of schemes to be monitored as a condition of grant funding for infrastructure and is undertaking a national evaluation of schemes funded through the Active Travel Fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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40 Recommendation Accepted
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
It is disappointing that consideration of freight solutions for the high street is missing from...
It is disappointing that consideration of freight solutions for the high street is missing from the Government’s Build Back Better High Streets strategy. Consideration of freight solutions should include how the use of more environmentally friendly freight solutions may be … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed that freight solutions are critical and detailed ongoing work including testing future mobility solutions, examining urban consolidation centres, reviewing Local Transport Plans, and finalizing a 'Future of Freight' strategic plan for publication in early 2022.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Government Response AI assessment · 40 of 39 classified
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 4
Not Addressed 5
Rejected 2
Total 39 recs + 1 conclusion
Correspondence 4 letters
17 May 2022 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution to the Chair dated 12 May 2022 concerning supporting high streets after COVID-19
Parliament page
29 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution dated 29 March 2022 concerning the Government's response to the Committee's report on Supporting our High Streets after Covid-19
Parliament page
20 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government and the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets to the Chair dated 14 July 2021 concerning their appearance before the Committee on 5 July
Parliament page
8 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing to the Chair dated 23 July 2020 concerning Covid recovery and supporting high streets
Parliament page