Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

 

Report of Chief Officer (Environment)

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

 

Karen Chaplin and Andrew Kenyon who had registered to speak in accordance with the City Council’s agreed procedure and Cabinet Procedure Rule 2.7 addressed the meeting on this item and responded to questions raised by Cabinet Members.

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Environment) which provided options for the layout of the market once the Square Routes work has been completed. 

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

Is a more radical overhaul of the Charter Market required than what officers have consulted on?

 

                      Some have suggested that the Council lacks a well thought out business plan and strategy for the market, and that without one the full potential of the city centre will not be realised and furthermore decisions cannot really be taken on the layout of the market. In putting forward this view it is suggested that a key point to consider is whether the newly refurbished Market Square should be left solely for entertainment / events and for people to congregate.  The officer view of this is that actually the City Council is very clear in its view of the market. These have been articulated via the considerations made in arriving at the Square Routes project and the subsequent consultations and are underpinned by the Council’s ethos and particularly the need for the Council to act as a steward. The Council’s view of the market can be summed up as-

 

The market is an attraction that makes the city centre an attractive and vibrant place and should be managed to take account of other users and to make sure it achieves high standards.

 

The question is then to what extent does the Council feel it needs to further ‘plan’ the market to achieve the above?

 

The Council could take the view that to achieve the above it wants to completely overhaul the market. Some Councils have adopted a very interventionist route to market provision. To the extreme where the market is effectively an outdoor shopping mall with homogenised stalls selling prescribed products that complement what the shop based businesses offer. Other Councils have followed a less extreme route but have in place a very prescribed plan for their markets nonetheless. Such plans are still very interventionist in that they will specify which goods can be sold and from which pitches, where the goods should come from, the Council may also supply the stalls.

 

It would also be perfectly valid for the Council to take the view, as it has to date, that, as it is, the market supports the Council’s strategic objectives. The current model of market provision is financially self –sufficient, creating no burden for the Council tax- payer and making a contribution to delivery of key Council priorities. The ongoing management input from the Council is streamlined to keep down costs and is focussed on day to day management activities that ensure that the market operates smoothly (e.g. managing pitches and stall location, ensuring traders comply with standards, complementing the other range of City Centre activities, collecting fees from traders). In this model traders bear the vast majority of the risk. The success or otherwise of individual traders, and the wider market, is largely determined by whether consumers want to buy the products. Critics of this approach will argue that shop based businesses suffer from increased competition because  of lack of regulation and that the City Centre as a whole suffers because the overall look and appearance of the market is not tightly regulated.

 

Feedback from residents, visitors, users of the market and traders would suggest that generally people do not feel there is need to radically overhaul the market. Consumers actually seem to like the eclecticism and diversity of the Charter market.  Those that suggest that the market is in need of a radical overhaul, say that now is the time to do so.

 

If Cabinet take the view that a radical overhaul is required then the view put forward that a business plan and strategy for the market needs to be developed and agreed is the best way forward.  A radical overhaul will require significant officer input in terms of developing and agreeing a development plan. It would also be reasonable to expect that once implemented much more management input would be required in the day to day running of the market, which will require additional resources. In addition to this it will further extend the waiting time before a decision on the layout of the market is made. Already it is clear there is considerable uncertainty and resulting friction. This is of course a side effect of any change but is raised so that Cabinet are aware there is further potential were Cabinet to request a radical overhaul.

 

There has also been some suggestion that the BID would be best placed to deliver and manage the market. Whilst no detail of how this could work is available the principle of it and the potential implications of it would seem to be contrary to the Council’s aims, objectives and ethos. It would effectively mean a delegation of stewardship.

 

Cabinet are therefore requested to consider whether a radical overhaul of the Charter Market is actually needed. If so consideration should be given to setting up a working group to develop a strategy and plan for future provision of the market.

 

If Cabinet take the view that a radical overhaul is required then no further decisions are required at this stage.   However, if Cabinet take the view that no radical overhaul is required then consideration of a number of proposals is requested. These proposals are likely to be seen by some as being too regulatory. In response to this clearly a balance is needed. Even if Cabinet determine that a radical overhaul isn’t required it is clear that as stewards of the City Centre the Council does have a responsibility to ensure a generally acceptable standard for the market. Having such a light touch that the market deteriorated into a city centre car boot sale would be to nobody’s advantage either. Therefore the questions Cabinet are requested to consider are:-

 

How should current market pitches be laid out / and presented?

 

In the latest round of consultation 2 draft layouts were proposed (See Appendix B to the report).

 

Layout A-

                      Based around the current footprint of the market, Market Street, Market Square, Cheapside. This option means that all existing permanent traders will still be able to trade from pitches within this footprint (although in some cases the pitches will be smaller)

 

·                         Reduces the amount of stalls in Market Square by 2.

·                         Only allows food stalls in Market Square.

·                         Distributes pitches for existing stalls between Market Street, Market Square, Cheapside.

·                         New traders will be allocated pitches on Church Street / New Street if there are none vacant in Market Street, Market Square, Cheapside. (To encourage take up these will be free for an initial period).

·                         Existing traders will be given the opportunity to relocate to Church Street for a rent free period, on a voluntary basis

·                         Comes with the proviso that the standard of appearance of market stalls is maintained to a standard specified by the Council.

·                         Sets out the maximum size of pitch that will be allowed at each location. The pitch sizes have been selected to work in the given location and to allow for as many pitches as possible.

 

Layout B-

 

                      Deliberately alters the current footprint of the market so that there are only pitches on one side of Cheapside. This means that some existing permanent traders will be moved to new pitches in Church Street. Pitches will still remain in Market Street and Market Square.

 

·                         Reduces the amount of stalls in Market Square by 2

·                         Only allows food stalls in Market Square.

·                         Distributes pitches for existing stalls between New Street, Market Street, Market Square, Cheapside (one side only) and Church Street.

·                         Existing traders allocated pitches on Church Street will be allowed them free for a limited period.

·                         New traders will be allocated pitches on Church Street / New Street. (To encourage take up these will be free for an initial period).

·                         Comes with the proviso that the standard of appearance of market stalls is maintained to a standard specified by the Council.

·                         Sets out the maximum size of pitch that will be allowed at each location. The pitch sizes have been selected to work in the given location and to allow for as many pitches as possible.

 

Note– in both options within the boundaries set out above the plan would be to seek to accommodate traders’ views on where they were located as far as we reasonably could. Clearly though in both options there will need to be some movement of stallholders (e.g. in plan B it would not be simply a case of moving the traders who were displaced from Cheapside into Church Street - consideration would need to be given to what was best for the market) and some stallholders may have reduced pitches from previously.

 

Layout A is generally preferred by shoppers and market traders.

From a financial perspective option A is the best option for the Council.

 

Layout B is generally preferred by shop based businesses as it distributes the market around a larger area and takes positive action to use Church Street. Shop based businesses say that will increase footfall to Church Street (albeit only on 2 days per week). Traders generally say that they would sooner stop trading than trade on Church Street.

 

Neither layout is supported by those who say that now as the plinth is in place in Market Square there is an opportunity to further add to be vibrancy of the city centre by using it for entertainment events on Saturdays. To allow this Market Square should be kept clear. In turn the added footfall from the entertainment will benefit the market and shop based businesses.

 

How much should pitches cost?

 

Based on consultation it’s clear that pitches in Cheapside and Market Street are viewed by existing traders as the best to trade from. Current charges for pitches are £1.35 sq/m with £15 being the minimum charge. There is usually a waiting list for traders.

 

Traders are provided with a pitch immediately in the newly upgraded public realm of City Centre, with an existing footfall, which is likely to increase. Looking at comparable markets the current amount charged for pitches is very low. In some places comparable pitches are charged at double this amount.  The cost of pitches has increased very little over the last few years. It is therefore proposed that from April 1^st, 2015 the charge increases to £1.80 sq/m and £20.00 minimum charge.

 

                      The charge for traders wishing to trade from Church Street will remain £1.35 sq/m with £15 being the minimum charge. However for new traders wishing to trade from Church Street there will be an initial 6 month period where no fees will be charged.  Clearly this proposal could result in reduced income and would not be welcomed by all traders. It would however encourage traders to think about where they might want to be located and what sort of products might they want to sell.  The forecast financial implications of this are set out in the financial implications box in the report.

 

Proposal Concessionary pitches, street cafes etc.

 

                      Besides Charter Market pitches the City Council also charges for the use of a number of concessionary pitches in the City Centre and also licenses a number of street cafes. There is clearly a need to ensure that these also complement the wider aims of the City Centre.  As things stand further some further work is needed to review the locations and fees for concessionary pitches. Further work is also needed to ensure that street cafes, concessionary pitches and market pitches all work together.  Cabinet are requested to delegate the implementation of this review to the Chief Officer (Environment) in consultation with the Cabinet Members responsible for Markets and Regeneration.

 

Councillor Barry proposed, seconded by Councillor Hanson:-

 

 

“(1)  That Layout A be approved with the following revisions:

·         inclusion of two extra stalls on Market Street (one at the top of Golden Ball Lane and one in between pitch 11 and pitch 21)

·         To extend the length of stall 34 from 10 m to 12 m but with the loss of the dogleg

·         Not to impose a food only restriction on stalls in Market Square but ensure that only attractive stalls are sited in that area to maintain the improved appearance of the square.

 

 

(2)   That Cabinet reaffirms that traders are expected to follow market rules on matters such as appearance of stalls, tidiness of stalls, leaving the pitch clean and tidy, not encroaching beyond the pitch, being courteous to other city centre businesses etc.  Furthermore officers are instructed to ensure that market rules are followed at all times and to take immediate action against traders who do not wish to comply with the market rules.

 

(3) That from April 2015 the cost of pitches on Market Square, Market Street and Cheapside be increased from £1.35 to £1.50 per square metre with a minimum charge of £16.00.  Existing traders wishing to trade from Church Street/New Street to be charged at £1.35 per square metre and £15 minimum charge and new traders requesting a pitch on Church Street/New Street be given an initial 6 month period where no fees will be charged.

 

(4)   That the implementation of the review of City Centre concessions, street pitches etc. be delegated to the Chief Officer (Environment) in consultation with the Cabinet Members responsible for Markets and Regeneration.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

 

(1)  That Layout A be approved with the following revisions:

·         inclusion of two extra stalls on Market Street (one at the top of Golden Ball Lane and one in between pitch 11 and pitch 21)

·         To extend the length of stall 34 from 10 m to 12 m but with the loss of the dogleg

·         Not to impose a food only restriction on stalls in Market Square but ensure that only attractive stalls are sited in that area to maintain the improved appearance of the square.

 

 

(2)   That Cabinet reaffirms that traders are expected to follow market rules on matters such as appearance of stalls, tidiness of stalls, leaving the pitch clean and tidy, not encroaching beyond the pitch, being courteous to other city centre businesses etc.  Furthermore officers are instructed to ensure that market rules are followed at all times and to take immediate action against traders who do not wish to comply with the market rules.

 

(3) That from April 2015 the cost of pitches on Market Square, Market Street and Cheapside be increased from £1.35 to £1.50 per square metre with a minimum charge of £16.00.  Existing traders wishing to trade from Church Street/New Street to be charged at £1.35 per square metre and £15 minimum charge and new traders requesting a pitch on Church Street/New Street be given an initial 6 month period where no fees will be charged.

 

(4)   That the implementation of the review of City Centre concessions, street pitches etc. be delegated to the Chief Officer (Environment) in consultation with the Cabinet Members responsible for Markets and Regeneration.

 

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Environment)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision is consistent with the ethos of stewardship set out in the City Council’s Corporate Plan; ensuring the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the local area.  The decision allows for implementation of the new charter market layout in January 2015. Once Officers allocate pitches to stallholders they will continue to monitor and adjust as necessary. Only fundamental changes will be referred back to Cabinet.