“Scrap business rates and save Slough High Street”, says Lib Dem Aaron Chahal

Aaron Chahal, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Slough, said, "The Lib Dems' policy of replacing business rates by a fairer system would benefit most small businesses and help save Slough High Street."

Aaron, seen here in front of one of the shops on Slough High Street that has been empty for months, said "action is needed fast to save Slough High Street."

In March, the Lib Dems adopted a comprehensive policy stressing that local and national governments have a vital role to ensure town centres thrive. Some key elements include:

• central government should reform commercial planning law to enable Councils to ensure commercial space is used flexibly and efficiently;
• central government should help finance the transformation of town centres by expanding the "Future High Streets Fund" so that it can cover more areas;
• reaffirmation of the 2018 Lib Dem policy calling on the Government to replace the business rates.

The Lib Dem motion also recognised that of course each town centre/High Street has a unique context, and that in addition to national policies and strategies, there will always be specific local issues to address.

Therefore, Aaron said: "If I'm elected as Slough's MP I'll draw on the planning and urban development expertise in the Slough Lib Dem party to challenge the way Slough's Labour-run Council have made the national challenges facing the High Street worse by the many delays in the Heart of Slough project."

Aaron added: "My campaign to Stop Brexit is also important on this issue. This is because the damage to trade and supply lines that Brexit would cause would increase the risks of yet more shopping chains collapsing. The best way to avoid these further risks is to Stop Brexit"