MP backs plans to boost South Lakes high streets

Local MP Tim Farron is backing plans designed to support struggling high streets in South Lakeland and across England.

The proposals, agreed by Liberal Democrats at their Spring Conference in York, set out plans that would:

• Boost support for local entrepreneurs, including subsidised work space and business support for start-ups - something that Lib Dem-run South Lakeland District Council is already doing with Mintworks in Kendal and with the proposed Mintworks 2 at South Lakeland House
• Reform planning law, enabling councils to ensure that commercial space is used flexibly and efficiently.
• Introduce publicly-accessible local asset registers, enabling local entrepreneurs to identify promising business opportunities
• Use local insights to improve customers' experiences, including by providing free public Wi-Fi.
• Create a new industry-led body to help retailers adapt to the digital economy.

The Liberal Democrats are also campaigning to replace the broken business rates system with a tax on land values, cutting taxes for businesses by 25% in South Lakeland.

Tim said: "It is the responsibility of the current Conservative Government to ensure that our businesses are able to thrive, but Ministers in Whitehall are too busy fighting amongst themselves to fight for us and as a result are letting down our local businesses.

"That is why Liberal Democrats are campaigning to create the environment needed for local businesses to grow and create jobs across the South Lakes."