​THE future of struggling seaside towns and communities now holds an important position in the manifesto for a future Conservative government.

Most recently, Caroline Spelman, shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, launched the party’s plans for the regeneration of coastal towns. The document, entitled “No longer the end of the line”, describes how seaside towns, like Margate, have been constantly failed under a decade of Labour government through inadequate funding and a damaging policy of welfare “dispersal” from the inner cities and reveals how the Conservatives intend to end this cycle of decline.

As we see from the evidence of our statistics here in Thanet, the majority of coastal towns across Britain have lower levels of employment, more benefit claimants, poorer health and more recessed economies than comparable inland towns. However, Conservative proposals in the party’s new action plan includes many welcome initiatives that would be felt immediately on the island. These include:

Giving local councils and the police new powers to restrict the large number of late licenses and tackle the alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour that blights seaside communities.

Welcome new tax breaks for local firms – including local business rate discounts, lower corporation tax on small firms, and waiving National Insurance on new firms which create jobs.

Very importantly for our large retired population, among others, Cancelling Labour’s unpopular council tax revaluation which intends to charge residents higher council tax for having sea views.

Creating a Community Right to Buy to allow local groups to take over and save threatened community assets and buildings.

Allowing privately owned listed seaside heritage attractions, such as piers and amusement parks, to apply for Lottery funding.

Our coastal towns present a golden opportunity which this government has ignored. At a time when there is renewed interest in holidaying in the UK and people are looking at living in a way which offers them better work-life balance, the regeneration of our coastal towns should be a priority for any government.