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Empty High Streets action urged Empty High Streets action urged
(about 2 hours later)
Communities should use more empty shops as neighbourhood resources to help prevent town centres becoming magnets for crime, the government is to say.Communities should use more empty shops as neighbourhood resources to help prevent town centres becoming magnets for crime, the government is to say.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will announce measures to make it easier for local groups in England to turn stores into galleries or advice centres.Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will announce measures to make it easier for local groups in England to turn stores into galleries or advice centres.
They are expected to include £3m of funding, faster planning procedures and standard short-term leases.They are expected to include £3m of funding, faster planning procedures and standard short-term leases.
There will also be extra powers to allow councils to take over premises.There will also be extra powers to allow councils to take over premises.
Ms Blears will use a seminar of councils, business leaders, landlords and town centre managers to set out the measures later.Ms Blears will use a seminar of councils, business leaders, landlords and town centre managers to set out the measures later.
'Eyesores' Our ideas for reviving town centres will give communities the know how to temporarily transform vacant premises into something innovative for the community Communities Secretary Hazel Blears class="" href="/1/hi/magazine/7840421.stm"> What to do with empty shops
"Town centres are the heartbeat of every community and businesses are the foundation so it is vital that they remain vibrant places for people to meet and shop throughout the downturn," she will say."Town centres are the heartbeat of every community and businesses are the foundation so it is vital that they remain vibrant places for people to meet and shop throughout the downturn," she will say.
"Empty shops can be eyesores or crime magnets."Empty shops can be eyesores or crime magnets.
"Our ideas for reviving town centres will give communities the know how to temporarily transform vacant premises into something innovative for the community - a social enterprise, a showroom for local artists or an information centre - and stop the High Street being boarded up.""Our ideas for reviving town centres will give communities the know how to temporarily transform vacant premises into something innovative for the community - a social enterprise, a showroom for local artists or an information centre - and stop the High Street being boarded up."
Ms Blears and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham will look around the centre of Stockport ahead of the meeting.Ms Blears and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham will look around the centre of Stockport ahead of the meeting.
The Local Government Association (LGA) warned earlier this year that England's High Streets were in danger of becoming "ghost towns" unless action was taken to fill empty shops hit by the recession.The Local Government Association (LGA) warned earlier this year that England's High Streets were in danger of becoming "ghost towns" unless action was taken to fill empty shops hit by the recession.
Four out of five councils had reported an increase in empty premises, it said.Four out of five councils had reported an increase in empty premises, it said.
Has your local high street changed? We are hoping to create a collection of images to catalogue local changes and show how the global economy is being reflected in our daily lives.Has your local high street changed? We are hoping to create a collection of images to catalogue local changes and show how the global economy is being reflected in our daily lives.
We would love to see your pictures and hear your descriptions of the changes near you. Here's how you can help to show the bigger picture.We would love to see your pictures and hear your descriptions of the changes near you. Here's how you can help to show the bigger picture.
We hope to present the resulting collection on BBC outlets as well as on our Flickr pages.We hope to present the resulting collection on BBC outlets as well as on our Flickr pages.
Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. If you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. If you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions
At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.