Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hunt and John Blackmore.

Councillor Hall was appointed as Chair for the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were given.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

No declarations were made at this time.

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Tuesday 16 June 2009 are attached and Members of the Task Group are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the meeting of the Leicester Markets Review (Joint Culture and Leisure and Regeneration and Transport Task Group), held on 16 June 2009,  be agreed as a correct record.

Members of the Task Group will provide feedback from their visits to Birmingham, Borough and Camden Markets. Notes from their visits are attached at Appendix B.

Councillors considered the report on feedback following Members’ visits to Birmingham, Borough and Camden markets, which had been previously circulated to Members.

The Chair commented that a report back on the visit to the Birmingham market had previously been given at the meeting held on 16 June 2009. 

Comments and observations of Members following the visit to Borough and Camden markets were made as follows:

• The visit had been positive with good visits to both markets.
• Members felt that Borough market offered more in terms of what could be achieved at Leicester market.
• There was good customer care demonstrated by stallholders. Customers were able to sample goods.
• There was no shouting from the stallholders.
• Waste – a large amount of waste was dealt with by a Compactor and this was kept out of sight.
• At Borough market, there was on site cooking of products that were available for sale on the market.  This added to the atmosphere of the market.
• Camden market had good seating arrangements for people who wanted to eat in the open air.
• Camden market was a good tourist attraction. This market sold mainly dry goods and clothing.
• Camden market was very well designed, with character added by imaginative seating.
• Borough market had a similar layout to Leicester market with a clever use of space.

Nick Rhodes, Head of Markets and Enterprise, explained that the three markets the Members had visited had all received considerable investment, and for various reasons had started from new. Nick added that Camden market was a privately owned market and that Borough market was owned by a Trust.

The Chair thanked Members of the Task Group for their feedback on their visits to other markets.

A summary of the House of Commons Community and Local Government Select Committee Report entitled Market Failure: Can the traditional market survive? is attached for information purposes.

Members considered the House of Commons Community and Local Government Select Committee Report on Markets, which had been previously circulated. Members heard that Leicester was one of the areas that had been visited when the report was compiled.

It was noted that Leicester Market featured very well in the report, although there were comments that the indoor market was unattractive. Members agreed with the report and in particular to observations relating to the social cohesion advantages that the market offered.

Members of the Joint Task Group are asked to comment on the draft final report from the Review into Leicester Markets.

Members considered the draft final report of the joint Task Group into the Leicester Markets. Anita Patel, Member Support Officer, explained that the report was still a draft document and Members’ comments were welcome.

A Member commented that the report did not include a vision for the market or state how this could be provided. Anita Patel, Member Support Officer, explained that a strategic vision was mentioned in the recommendations and the Member suggested that this should also be included in the main report.  The Chair stated that Leicester Market had a very positive image and added that he wanted to ensure that it continued to be one of the most prominent markets in Europe.

A Member suggested that the market should have a definite visual image, for example a Victorian image, to link in with the market’s historic links.

Members queried the process if the indoor market was demolished and stated that the report did not include details on how this would happen and what would replace the old indoor market building. He added that if the indoor market was replaced with flat market space, there would be fewer stalls and a reduction in footfall.  A question was also asked as to whether improvements could be made to the buildings that surrounded the market, it order to improve their impact on the market and the overall visual image.

The Chair suggested that these suggestions could be looked at in more detail at a later date, as the report was due to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Cabinet in September or October 2009.

Anita explained that the financial and legal implications were still to be included into the report along with the departmental comments.

RESOLVED:

that the Report of the Joint Task Group into the Leicester Markets, after taking into account the comments from Members, be  finalised and submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

Members of the Joint Task Group are asked to comment on the draft recommendations from the Review into Leicester Markets.

Members considered the draft recommendations of the Joint Task Group Review into Leicester Markets, which had been previously circulated. Anita Patel, the Member Support Officer explained that the recommendations were draft, and Members comments were welcome before they were finalised.

Anita Patel explained that Members might like to consider two extra recommendations, to improve signage in and around the market, and also to continue to build up and extend the city’s special markets. The Chair also stated that the recommendations should mention community cohesion, in view of the fact that Leicester was such a diverse city.  It was also noted that ongoing investment was needed to allow for the continued development of the market.

The Chair thanked everyone who had contributed to the review and stated that significant input had been received form the market traders and users of the market, and it was important that their views were incorporated in the report.

RESOLVED:

that the Recommendations within the Report of the Joint Task Group into the Leicester Markets, after taking into account the comments from Members, be  finalised and submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

The meeting closed at 6.27 pm.