🏙️ Town Centres: Stoke-on-Trent

• Centenary Celebration: The debate was held in the centenary year of Stoke-on-Trent becoming a city in 1925, highlighting the city’s history and future aspirations.

• Financial Struggles: The city has faced financial difficulties over the past 14 years due to year-on-year cuts by the previous government, leaving it in a challenging financial state.

• Funding Competitions: Stoke-on-Trent has been forced to compete with neighboring cities for funds like the prosperity and levelling-up funds, leading to an undignified situation akin to a “beauty parade.”

• Community and Pride: Town centres in Stoke-on-Trent represent more than just shopping areas; they symbolize community pride and societal cohesion.

• Local Efforts: Commendations were given to initiatives such as the Longton Exchange and Urban Wilderness for their efforts in revitalizing Longton town centre. Cultural events like the Longton carnival and pig walk are seen as essential for community upliftment.

• Impact of Online Shopping: The rise of online shopping has negatively affected town centres across the UK, with a call for more support for micro and small businesses to bring people and employment back to city centres.

• Struggles of Mid-Sized Shops: While large stores manage the economic climate, mid-sized shops struggle due to high business rates and reduced footfall.

• Regeneration Successes: Efforts in Fenton and the Spode site in Stoke have shown positive regeneration, turning heritage buildings into future assets and creating vibrant community hubs.

• Challenges in Hanley: Hanley’s town centre, considered the most challenging, has faced issues due to poorly planned projects like a multi-storey car park, which did not meet its economic potential.

• Need for Partnership: There’s a call for a new partnership between the local council and the government to aid regeneration, focusing on housing developments, public transport, and crime reduction.

• Housing and Development: The discussion highlighted a demand for city-centre living, with successful examples like the Clayworks development. There’s interest in consolidating brownfield sites for development.

• Government Support: The current government has acknowledged the city’s needs, providing investments in various projects and ensuring local growth projects are protected through extended funding.

• Future Plans: Plans include revitalizing the city centre with a residential focus, improving public transport, and supporting the night-time economy to attract more residents and visitors.

• Legislative Actions: The government’s planning reforms, including the national planning policy framework and upcoming planning and infrastructure Bill, aim to support town centres and streamline development processes.

• Environmental Considerations: Efforts are being made to prioritize brownfield development to protect green spaces like Berryhill Fields from unnecessary development.

The parliamentary session on ‘Town Centres: Stoke-on-Trent’ shows a low level of disagreement. Throughout the debate, there is a consistent and cooperative tone among the participants. Gareth Snell and the Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook) both speak at length about the challenges and potential solutions for the town centres of Stoke-on-Trent, but there is no overt conflict or contradiction between their positions. Snell’s critiques focus primarily on historical issues with the previous government’s approach, and he expresses hope and confidence in the current government’s willingness to support Stoke-on-Trent’s development plans. The Minister responds positively, endorsing the local efforts and outlining further governmental support and initiatives. Even the brief interventions by other MPs (e.g., Dr. Allison Gardner, Jim Shannon, David Williams) are supportive and aimed at adding constructive input rather than sparking debate. Therefore, the lack of disagreement and the collaborative nature of the session warrant a rating of 1 on the disagreement scale.