Below are the results of Penarth Town Council's recent consultation on a response to the effects of Covid-19 on Penarth's Town Centre, which shows widespread backing for some kind of change.

The results of the survey, which attracted 840 responses, can be viewed below:

• 70% think that there should be more outdoor space for pedestrians and businesses

• 75% think that parking arrangements need to change

• 79% think that we need to prepare the town for the future

The survey presented a number of options to address the short, medium and long term challenges. Following feedback on these, The Town Council makes a number of recommendations.

The Leader of Penarth Town Council, Cllr. Rhiannon Birch said:

"The health and wellbeing of Penarth's communities and its economy are being tested during this ongoing pandemic, and we applaud the efforts of everyone helping our community to look after and support each other.

"Though we have seen some easing of lockdown, the ongoing effects of Covid-19 will be with us for some time. We are committed to supporting the health and safety of the public, the sustainability of our town's businesses and the vibrancy of our town centre.

"We are aware of many of the challenges faced by residents and local businesses. We recognised the need to better understand these challenges and that a degree of change was called for. To this end, we embarked on a public consultation to gather the views of the town and consider suggested changes.

"The response to this has been unprecedented in our town and we thank each person who took the time to respond and share it. We recognise and applaud the huge level of engagement in our collective future.

"At all points, we have been clear that the future of our town requires a partnership between the community, the retail and hospitality sector, Penarth Town Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

"We have been open on the limits and responsibilities of the respective councils and we welcome the Vale of Glamorgan's commitment to this process.

"Even before Covid-19, town centres across the country were facing issues, including the need to modernise infrastructure, and the impact of online shopping. The current pandemic has added to the scale of the challenge. We are pleased to release the results of this consultation. They reflect Penarth's immediate concerns and its ideas for the future.

"The consultation shows that a clear majority recognise the need for a degree of change in the town centre, both for it to survive in the present and to thrive in future. The results call for the establishment of a greater degree of safe space and proposals which increase a degree of pedestrianisation whilst also increasing parking spaces.

"The results show substantial agreement on these aims. Reflecting this widespread and clear response, Penarth Town Council calls on our partners in the Vale of Glamorgan Council to embrace the results and recommendations.

"Specifically, Penarth Town Council believes that creating a safer environment through the closure of Windsor Road to traffic for part of the day, between Arcot Street and the roundabout, including the Lower Glebe Street, would be the best way to ensure that people can feel confident about shopping safely.

"It would allow safe use of the space in front of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. It also lessens the need for one-way systems on pavements for pedestrians, which are perplexing for many and hard to implement. These proposals can be achieved in a way which also increases the number of parking spaces available.

"We all want to make Penarth an attractive and safe place to be, whilst helping everyone feel less anxious about visiting the town centre. We recognise the crisis being felt by many businesses in Penarth and we want to help encourage people to use them safely and to ensure their future viability.

"Once again, we thank the public for their passion and engagement in their town. We have never been more proud of Penarth and we are committed to working with the Vale of Glamorgan Council on Penarth's pressing concerns and towards a vibrant future for all."

You can view the full results of the survey here and the proposals here.