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Ben Slimm.
A LOCAL Labour Party activist is urging the people of Tralee to engage with a survey on the future of towns and villages.
Ben Slimm, who ran as a Labour Party candidate in the local elections in 2019, says an article in The Sunday Business Post recently revealed there are vacancy rates of up to 25% in commercial properties in many towns.
“This shocking result shows the need for a comprehensive plan for urban renewal and regeneration in our towns and villages,” he said.
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“Between the closure of bank branches, loss of retail and the move to online services, the future of our towns and villages have never been more at risk. The pandemic has shown the importance of local services but also accelerated the move online endangering more shops.
“The Labour Party is carrying out a major national survey to hear what the people think needs to be done to rescue our main streets and save our towns and villages. We can’t continue to lose commercial services, banks, post offices, shops and pubs and expect our urban centres to thrive.”
“With the Covid-19 pandemic there have been radical changes in the way people live and work. So many more people are working at home, and less are commuting. The pandemic has also reminded us how important our local shops and amenities are for providing us with the products and services we need. The loss of pubs and restaurants reminds us of how important these are as social settings.
“I would ask the people of Tralee to engage with the survey and share with us their views of what we can do too.” To access the survey on the Labour Party website click here.
