Agenda item

Councillor Dempster submits a report that considers an application received from LSD Promotions for a market at Leicester City Football Club to be held weekly on Sundays and also on Bank Holidays.  Cabinet is recommended to approve a licence with special conditions as set out in Appendix A (Page 14-16) of the report amended to include provision that Sunday and Bank Holiday Markets should not be held on the same day as first team football matches.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 21 January 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillors Connolly and Russell, having declared a pre-determined view on this application left the room for the consideration of this item.

Councillor Westley, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this application, left the room for the consideration of this item.

Councillor Willmott stated that he had been involved in previous discussions in connection with the application, and therefore he had requested that Councillor Dempster present the report.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that considered an application received from LSD Promotions for a market at Leicester City Football Club to be held weekly on Sundays and also on Bank Holidays.

Councillor Dempster explained that the report had taken into account the views of the Market Forum, which had met on 10 November 2009. It was considered that the proposed market would not divert any significant trade from the central market and would provide a new shopping opportunity for local people and visitors to the City. It would also create new employment and business opportunities, including opportunities for existing city centre market traders.  It was proposed that a licence with special conditions would provide additional safeguards for the central market, and this would include a temporary licence for three years with reviews at six, twelve and twenty four months. Councillor Dempster added that the future success of the central market was very important to the City and this was recognised in the ‘One Leicester Vision’.

Councillor Coley commented that the Markets Forum had strongly rejected the Rival Market Licence Application. He stated that the report did not assess the risks to the Leicester Market and that the viability of the weekly market would be affected. Although it was stated that the previous Sunday market had not had a detrimental impact on the Leicester Market, this had been a car boot sale rather than a traditional market. Councillor Coley expressed concern that the Leicester Market was already experiencing difficulty with empty stalls, and further competition could result in a higher level of unoccupied stalls. This would result in not only a loss of livelihoods but also loss of income, which would counteract the income gained from the Sunday Market. Councillor Coley added that the council were guardians of the market place and that it needed to be protected.

He asked Cabinet to reconsider the application.

Councillor Willmott responded that Cabinet were reconsidering the application following fresh consultation, but the Council had a duty to deliver a decision.

Councillor Kitterick commented that Cabinet Members would not wish to make a decision that would threaten the viability of the Leicester Market, but with Sunday trading, the type of products that would be available in the Sunday Market would also be freely available elsewhere. He commented however that some action needed to be taken to address the poor shopping environment in the indoor market hall. In addition the market looked unattractive at times because of the refuse collections that were made near to food stalls. Councillor Kitterick further suggested that a Sunday Market could also operate in the City Centre.

Councillor Grant commented that the Report of the Task Group Review into Leicester Markets had not yet been considered by Cabinet and this had looked at the levels of occupancy within the indoor and outdoor market.  He added that the markets income, which totalled £1.8 million last year was at risk for the sake of the income from the Sunday Market.

Councillor Willmott responded that the policy was not about the proposed income from the Walkers Stadium but about operating fairly, and that applications such as this needed to be considered properly. Councillor Willmott had met with the Markets Forum and he respected their point of view.  He stated that the Council had a long term intention to secure the future of the market, but he believed that the approval of the Sunday Market was the correct course of action.

RESOLVED:

             that Cabinet approves a licence with special conditions as set out in Appendix A (Page 14 -16) of the report amended to include provision that Sunday and Bank Holiday Markets should not to be held on same day as first team football matches.

Councillors Connolly, Russell and Westley then returned to the meeting.