Decision:
Following the presentation but before any debate Councillor Ray Shakespeare-Smith declared a declarable Interest as he was a member of Hitchin Initiative, which was the sole shareholder of Hitchin Markets.
Following the presentation but before any debate Councillor Richard Thake declared a declarable Interest as he was a member of Hitchin Initiative, which was the sole shareholder of Hitchin Markets.
Mr John Simmonds, Chairman, Hitchin Markets Limited, thanked the Vice-Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding Hitchin Market.
The Vice-Chairman thanked Mr Simmonds for his presentation.
Minutes:
Following the presentation but before any debate Councillor Ray Shakespeare-Smith declared a declarable Interest as he was a member of Hitchin Initiative, which was the sole shareholder of Hitchin Markets.
Following the presentation but before any debate Councillor Richard Thake declared a declarable Interest as he was a member of Hitchin Initiative, which was the sole shareholder of Hitchin Markets.
Mr John Simmonds, Chairman, Hitchin Markets Limited, thanked the Vice-Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding Hitchin Market.
Mr Simmonds informed the Committee that Hitchin Markets Limited, a social enterprise company, had run Hitchin Market on behalf of the Council since 2008.
He was making the presentation this evening in response to the announcement by NHDC that there were plans to regenerate Churchgate Shopping Centre.
The Churchgate Board was made up of volunteers and Hitchin Market Limited welcomed the idea of a refreshed market and shopping centre.
Running the Market was tough and had not been helped over the last ten years but they had, by local benchmarking, managed to run it successfully.
The Market consists of between 90 and 120 stalls on 4 days of each week.
The indicative NHDC plan relocated the market so that there was a 50 yard gap, which blocked the market in to half the space it was currently using and it put the market 50 yards away from the principle shopping area.
This was the principle objection as the market and the Town Centre were good for each other.
The indicative plan also showed a very limited area for fixed stalls. If the market was to continue in any similar form, it would therefore be necessary to put up around 100 demountable stalls. This was not as easy as it sounded as people had to turn up at 4.30 am to put the stalls up and return in the evening to take them down again.
There were huge running costs involved with looking after and erecting/dismantling demountable stalls amounting to approximately £60,000 per year. One of the reasons for the financial success of Hitchin Markets Limited was the number of fixed stalls that were reliable and did not require personnel to erect and dismantle them.
There was a proposal that the operating contract for Hitchin Markets Limited to expire in July and the operation of Hitchin market be taken back in-house by NHDC during the 2-3 year development period.
Mr Simmonds did not believe that NHDC had the experience to run the market. Hitchin Market Corporate Board had the experience of three experienced traders as well as the experience of Hitchin Initiative, which resulted last year in a surplus profit being made.
This required exceptionally sensitive management as markets were fragile and could easily melt away and be lost. Too many markets had been forced to close including Royston, Stevenage, Letchworth, Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield and Watford.
Hitchin Markets Limited had worked in close partnership with NHDC for 10 years and suggested that the operating contract be extended on a rolling basis.
Their aim was to have a successful market and they were more than willing to work closely and well with NHDC to this end.
Members queried whether Hitchin Markets Limited would wish to continue to manage the market under any circumstances, particularly in light of the concerns he had raised regarding the indicative plans.
Mr Simmonds acknowledged that the market would have to operate within any constraints placed upon it and that Hitchin Markets Limited would be more than willing to try to make it run within those constraints.
A Member reminded the Committee that at the Council meeting, where this was discussed, the professionalism of the current management was discussed as was the suggestion of a rolling contract for Hitchin Markets Limited.
Members commented that the erection and dismantling of the demountable stalls was not a quiet operation and that there were many more residents living within the area of the market and queried whether Hitchin Markets Limited had any concerns regarding this aspect.
Mr Simmonds advised that noise had been a concern when considering previous suggestions regarding the placement of the market, particularly regarding the proposal to spread the market around the Town. The current proposal caused less of a concern regarding noise, but it had to be noted that this was a noisy operation as well as being hard work.
Members queried whether Hitchin Markets Limited had formerly approached the Council with their suggestion of a rolling contract.
Mr Simmonds advised that they had not made any formal approaches, but had received an invitation from the Council to make a formal written representation and he would also be making a representation to Cabinet when it is discussed.
The Vice-Chairman thanked Mr Simmonds for his presentation.