Last Friday (16 February), MP for Surrey Heath, Michael Gove joined local Conservative Councillors Trefor Hogg, Shaun Garrett and Lewis Mears, at the newly-renovated Old Dean Café, to discuss boosting the local economy and ensuring vacant units on Old Dean Parade open once again.
Cllr Trefor Hogg inspired Michael, as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to introduce a new High Street Rental Auction law, which enables local authorities to take action to ensure empty shops are brought back into use.
These new powers afforded to local authorities were delivered through the landmark Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act, which will also deliver more homes for communities across the country and unleash levelling up in left-behind places.
After enjoying refreshments at the Café, Michael and the Councillors headed out to knock on local doors to ask residents to support Cllr Hogg’s petition to Surrey Heath Borough Council to take the essential steps needed to ensure that the abandoned and empty shops on Old Dean Parade are brought into use once again.
Michael commented:
“Old Dean is a great place to live and work, and we can make it even better. This a perfect example of Levelling Up in action, and I am so appreciative of the work these Councillors are doing.”
