Issue - meetings

Public Question

Members of the public asked a number of questions, as set out below.

 

1.    Raised the following points:

      i.          Would the City Council guarantee continuity of business for the existing market traders throughout the proposed re-development of Cambridge market?

     ii.          Continuity of business required an excellent, transparent and direct communication between Council and market traders to create the trust needed to succeed.

   iii.          Would the City Council commit to driving this communication throughout the entire process; from requirements to an improved operational market?

   iv.          The Change.org petition to re-open the market clearly demonstrated the breadth and depth of support for essential food supplies being traded on the Market Square.

    v.          A recurring theme in the comments and stated by the traders to their customers was that communication with the City Council needed to be much more direct, frequent and more open.

 

The Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre responded:

      i.          The Market Square was closed (for a short period of time) due to public health concerns in lockdown otherwise the aim was to keep it open.

     ii.          It was still unconfirmed where the market would trade whilst work was being undertaken on the Market Square.

   iii.          Some essential maintenance was required in the Market Square (eg electrics) even if the project did not go ahead.

 

Supplementary question:

      i.          Re-iterated request for better communication to keep traders informed of actions/activities relating to the Market Square.

 

2.    Asked for clarification on how/why the Market Square was closed.

 

The Strategic Director responded:

      i.          She made the decision to close the Market Square as Strategic Director following a meeting with City Council and Public Health Officers.

     ii.          She took advice from the Deputy Director of Public Health at a meeting, then followed this up with the Director of Public Health via email. The Strategic Director discussed her proposal with the Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre then took the decision to close the Market Square and made a press release setting out the reasons for doing so.

   iii.          The situation had now changed so the Market Square was re-opened.

   iv.          The decision had been made in-line with council processes and published on the City Council website.

    v.          The decision was  made on information (including  picture) supplied from City Council and Public Health Officers regarding overcrowding in the Market Square.

 

Supplementary question:

      i.          Reasons for the decision to close the Market Square should be made public.

     ii.          There was a suspicion the decision was made on anecdotal evidence not the real situation.

 

3.    Raised the following points:

      i.          Referred to the Change.org petition to re-open the market.

     ii.          Express shock that only two days notice was given for the Market Square closure.

   iii.          Expresses concern:

a.    At the information traders were given about the reasons for market closure.

b.    Private organisations facing onto the Market Square (eg Sainsbury’s) could remain open whereas market traders could not.

c.    Lack of communication between the city council and traders about how to operate in lockdown.

   iv.          Queried how the relations between City Council Officers, market customers and traders could be improved.

 

The Strategic Director responded:

      i.          Covid levels were rising when the decision was taken to close the Market Square. People were not following social distance regulations so public health advice was to close the Market Square.

     ii.          The City Council worked closely with traders and partner organisations.

   iii.          Accepted there was a negative impact on traders from the market closure.

   iv.          The City Council offered support to traders. Please see agenda item 6 report for details. Traders were encouraged to claim support on offer from various schemes operated by the City Council on behalf of Central Government.

    v.          The Market Square was quickly re-opened with the support of Public Health.

   vi.          The public had faith in the market, they may choose not to visit at present.

 vii.          Traders had developed various ways to support customers who did not visit the market eg making deliveries.

 

Supplementary question:

      i.          Stated it was safe to shop outdoors.

     ii.          Disagreed that the market was responsible for increasing Covid infections in the city.

   iii.          Took issue with the fencing and marshalling around the market.

 

The Strategic Director responded:

      i.          Agreed the market did not directly cause Covid. Anywhere where people came into close proximity when Covid levels were rising was a concern as infection levels were spreading.

     ii.          The Council could not control private premises but could control its own areas eg the Market Square.

   iii.          Fencing and marshalling around the Market Square was being reviewed alongside public health advice.

 

4.    Raised the following points:

      i.          Had received no response to earlier questions.

     ii.          City Covid levels were below the national average.

   iii.          It was harder to catch Covid in the open air than in an enclosed space.

   iv.          Closing the market forced people to shop indoors in supermarkets etc.

    v.          People were not consulted on the market closure.

a.    There were limited communications between the City Council and traders.

b.    A transparent consultation process was required in future regarding any possible market closures.

   vi.          Marshalling around the market was ineffective.

 

The Strategic Director noted the comments.

 

5.    Only a limited number of traders were allowed to operate on the market. Queried when others could return.

 

The Head of Environmental Services responded:

      i.          The City Council was working with Cambridge Market Traders Association on how to operate now and in the future, to give traders as much notice as possible.

     ii.          Officers were working on a plan to maximise the number of traders who could operate in current lockdown conditions. Not all traders could be accommodated in the Market Square so satellite sites/locations were being considered.

 

Supplementary question:

      i.          Requested better communication with traders on when they could come back.

 

The Strategic Director responded:

      i.          City Council Officers tried to contact  all traders by phone before making a press release about closing the market.

     ii.          The City Council was meeting with trader representatives to pass on information.

   iii.          Actions taken were dependent on advice from Public Health colleagues.

   iv.          Communication with traders would be reviewed in future.

 

6.    Raised the following points:

      i.          The Market Square felt like a prison. This was unacceptable.

     ii.          Took issue with the reasons given for closing the market.

   iii.          Requested a statement from the City Council that it was safer to shop outdoors than indoors.

   iv.          Re-iterated this was a historic market.

 

The Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre responded:

      i.          The intention was not to make the Market Square feel like a prison. The City Council was liaising with traders about the fencing and some had been removed.

     ii.          The ‘demountable’ stalls that traders disliked would be replaced. Details would be shared with traders once a prototype had been developed. Details were set out in (former) agenda item 9 report.

 

Supplementary question:

      i.          Took issue with proposal for new market stalls.

     ii.          Re-iterated request for a statement from the City Council that it was safer to shop outdoors than indoors

 

7.    Councillor Porrer raised the following points:

      i.          Expressed concern about the lack of consultation on the Market Square closure.

     ii.          Traders had expressed concern about the lack of communication about support available.

   iii.          Referred to Liberal Democrat and Change.org petitions about the market.

   iv.          Welcomed more Covid Marshalls but requested they treated the situation carefully as public perception needed to be sensitively managed.

    v.          Asked the Executive Councillor to reassure Market Ward Councillors the situation would be resolved as soon as possible.

 

The Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre responded:

      i.          The decision to close the Market Square was taken as an urgent decision due to the perception of public risk, so there was no time to consult people. The process will be reviewed and lessons learnt on how to improve the process in future.

     ii.          The Executive Councillor did not specifically release a communication the Market Square was re-opened as she had confidence in officers’ actions.

   iii.          The Executive Councillor had received a lot of correspondence so was unable to respond to it all.

   iv.          She would learn lessons from this experience and work closely with Ward Councillors in future regarding communication.

 

Matter for Decision

The decision was noted.