Measures outlined by the Prime Minister on Thursday, August 11, in response to the recent violent disturbances go a great way towards providing the support many shops need to get back on their feet, says a retail trade body.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is pleased David Cameron has acknowledged the considerable impact nights of rioting and theft have had on the retail sector, and it echoes his condemnation of the perpetrators. A temporary suspension of business rates for affected premises will offer some help to shops facing cash flow problems. Reassurance that stores with inadequate insurance will have access to compensation is also a vital measure and will be a lifeline to many small businesses.<br> <br>The BRC says the short-term help for affected businesses and high streets needs to be followed up by a long-term plan of action to revitalise urban shopping areas. Those responsible for vandalism and theft must be properly punished to deter future attacks on property, whether retail or residential.<br> <br>British Retail Consortium Director General, Stephen Robertson, pictured, said: โThe Prime Minister has listened to our pleas and satisfied the majority of them. The mindless damage done to shops over the past few days is in effect mindless damage to our communities. The Government has shown great willingness to work with retailers to put our streets back together.<br> <br>โOur biggest fear is that otherwise successful retailers are pushed into insolvency by the events of this week. Suspending business rates on wrecked shops, flexibility on VAT collection and reassurance that shortfalls in insurance cover will be made up will all help substantially minimise that risk. Planning flexibilities on security measures should also extend to rebuilding.<br><br>โThe retail sector has been battling difficult trading conditions for much of this year and sadly for some shops these attacks will be the final straw. Even where shops do manage to stay in business it is likely not all jobs will survive. Support for retailers will translate directly into support for employees, and preserve vital local services.<br> <br>โOur high streets urgently need action which will revitalise them in the long-term. When the rubble has been cleared away and stores have reopened, there will be bigger, underlying problems still to address. We look forward to working with the Government to establish an action plan which will give our communities the vibrant, well-kept and successful high streets they deserve.โ<br><br>On Thursday morning, August 10, in a statement to the House of Commons, the Prime Minister David Cameron said keeping people safe was the first duty of government and pledged to do whatever it takes to restore law and order and rebuild communities.<br><br>โThe whole country has been shocked by the most appalling scenes of people looting, violence, vandalising and thieving. It is criminality pure and simple and there is absolutely no excuse for it.<br><br>โWe have seen houses, offices and shops raided and torched, police officers assaulted and fire crews attacked as they try to put out fires, people robbing others while they lie injured and bleeding in the street, and even three innocent people being deliberately run over and killed in Birmingham.<br><br>โWe will not put up with this in our country. We will not allow a culture of fear to exist on our streets.โ<br><br>Mr Cameron said he would change powers to give the police the discretion to remove face coverings under any circumstances where there is reasonable suspicion that they are related to criminal activity. The Government will also look at whether any wider power of curfew is necessary.<br><br>And he said that steps were being considered to ban those suspected of planning criminal acts from using social media.<br><br>The PM said the โfightback has well and truly begunโ, and stressed that the Government would not stop until law and order was fully restored on the streets.<br><br>A cross-government group to tackle gangs will report to Parliament in October 2011.<br><br>The PM also announced measures for homeowners and businesses which have seen their properties destroyed in the violence and looting with compensation available under the Riot Damages Act.<br><br>The Government is setting up a £20m โhigh street support schemeโ to help affected businesses and tax breaks and deferred payments would also be on offer to help firms get back on their feet.<br><br>โThe Government will ensure the police have the funds they need to meet the cost of any legitimate claims.<br><br>โAnd whereas normally claims must be received within 14 days, we will extend the period to 42 days.โ<br><br>On the deeper causes of the disorder, Mr Cameron said that family breakdown and poor parenting had played a significant role and pledged to restore a sense of moral responsibility.<br><br>Mr Cameron concluded by calling on the country to pull together praising the โdetermined resolveโ shown by communities across the UK who have helped to clean up their streets.<br><br>โTo the law abiding people who play by the rules, and who are the overwhelming majority in this country, I say the fightback has begun, we will protect you, if youโve had your livelihood and property damaged, we will compensate you. We are on your side.โ
Writing in the London Evening Standard, Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party, said: "Every Londoner will have a story this week that particularly touches them. Two stand out for me: hearing that the area where I went to school around Haverstock Comprehensive in Chalk Farm was caught up in some of the violence; and visiting Peckham with Harriet Harman, where we saw the distress and pain etched in the faces of the law-abiding majority of people.
"Londoners across every borough, every age group, every class, every ethnicity have been appalled by what we have seen over the past week. No area in our capital has felt beyond the reach of the trouble, and no citizen has felt immune or truly safe.
"This violence and vandalism is an affront to the values of London that we all believe in: above all, the liberty of the individual which has been at the heart of the capital’s history. When shops are being looted, when people are unable to go about their daily business without fear then there can be no liberty, no sense of freedom.
"That is why today, and in the coming days, there remains one overriding priority for the Government and the police: the maintenance of public order and a return to normality on the streets of London. The security of the city’s citizens and their ability to go about their lives free from fear is the paramount concern.
"The police should have the resources to do what it takes to bring calm to the streets of Britain’s towns and cities.Police on the streets have made our streets safer.
"The Prime Minister must understand the concern there is about the reduction in police numbers that is taking place. He must undertake to review the decisions made about police numbers and budgets.
"The full force of the law should be brought to bear on all those who have committed criminal acts and there must be swift action to help those who have lost their homes and livelihoods rebuild." For that article in full visit the Labour Party website –
http://www.labour.org.uk/we-must-tackle-the-take-what-you-can-culture,2011-08-11
