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7 ROD Closure of the City Centre Market PDF 114 KB
Minutes:
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.