To receive petitions, comments and questions from members of the public.
Decision:
The Committee was addressed by Mr Brian Foreman (Hitchin resident) in respect of the Churchgate Shopping Centre, Hitchin.
The Chairman thanked Mr Foreman for his presentation.
Minutes:
The Committee was addressed by Mr Brian Foreman (Hitchin resident) in respect of the Churchgate Shopping Centre, Hitchin.
Mr Foreman advised that he was speaking as the Voluntary Advisor to the Churchgate Association of Retailers, who had businesses in the Churchgate Shopping Centre in Hitchin.
Mr Foreman commented that the retailers were pleased to hear of the support he received at the Hitchin Committee meeting on 27 June 2017 when he spoke at the Town Talk. The problem was that a senior Council officer had decided that NHDC was not willing to do anything about the sad and sorry state of the Shopping Centre. He advised that he had appealed this decision.
Mr Foreman stated that, for the many visitors using Hitchin’s car parks and arriving by bus, this was their first sighting of the town’s shops, with their dirty fascias and rusting metal bars, filthy electrical lights, under decaying overhead canopies giving rise to health and safety issues. Viewed from the Biggin Lane Car Park, the rear of the Shopping Centre was equally disgusting.
Mr Foreman considered that leaving the Centre as it was in the affluent south-east did not inspire city workers to come and live in Hitchin. NHDC had been reluctant over the years to enforce the terms of the 1973 lease agreement since, if the landlord did not maintain the Centre, the Council could carry out the work and charge the landlord with the bill. He felt that there should be two coats of quality paint at regular intervals applied to the outside of the Centre.
Mr Foreman explained that Hammersmatch had received service charges from its tenants for the 30 units for the past 17 years. One larger unit had reported being charged £560 per month and had obtained very little in return. It seemed to him that getting Brown and Lee, the managing agents, to get the work done and up to a good standard was difficult. On their website in advertising No. 11 for rent they state
“There is a service charge to cover the general maintenance of the service yard, canopies and services”. He wondered just how much had actually been spent.
Mr Foreman stated that, at long last Hammersmatch, who in one of their planning applications had proposed spending up to £8million on refurbishment, had said that they would carry out refurbishment works at Whitsun 2017. This did not happen, but it seemed that works were just starting now. They had carried out a repair at Lifestyle, the Antique Centre, where water penetration had ruined stock, had erected safety barriers, and were still working on the Centre moving onto other premises. However, will this be enough?
Mr Foreman advised that NHDC had been taking 40% of the rents and pocketing the highest car parking charges in North Hertfordshire from the nearby car parks. He felt that the Council could afford to put something back into the Shopping Centre by arranging for a surveyor to decide how much work was needed, both externally and internally, and to carry out the 14 year review in the lease, with the last one due in 2010. In some shops there were damp and electrical issues inside, giving rise to health and safety concerns with old and broken fittings as reported by tenants. There were two dangerous entrance steps. He considered that questions remain to be answered.
Mr Foreman asked if NHDC had been negligent in not carrying out the terms of the lease agreement? With 81 years left on the lease, should a Council officer, however senior, had taken such a negative decision without consultation with local councillors? He felt that something had to be done. The Churchgate retailers and the Council Tax payers of North Hertfordshire deserved some answers.
The Chairman thanked Mr Foreman for his presentation.