Issue - meetings

The Head of Environmental Services introduced the report and made the following comments in response to the Committee’s questions: 

      i.         The council will factor into its plans the impact of additional tables and chairs in the marketplace on pedestrian flow and space for people to move freely. 

    ii.         The Government were likely to extend legislation allowing businesses to apply to the city council for licenses to have tables and chairs outside of their premises until September 2022.  These applications would be assessed based on impact to movement of the public. 

   iii.         Work has been carried out with Public Health on allowing all eligible traders to return to the market, under a phased process, planned to begin the following week.  A public announcement on this would be made in advance. 

  iv.         There had not been a significant number of complaints regarding A-boards or their effect on pedestrians.  If councillors were aware of specific A-boards causing a problem, they should report these for investigation. 

    v.         The Destination Management organisation is an informal partnership, with no specific funding except for that gained from bid submissions, and the budgets available to each partner including the small City Council tourism budget.  The legal status may change in the future. 

  vi.         The use of Grantchester Meadows as a park by the public was not factored into current plans, but discussions will take place on how the council could support the open space’s management along with other outer city locations. 

 vii.         Greater Cambridgeshire are part of the City Centre Recovery group, with the City Council aligning with a number of their programmes including city access and improving links between the city and outlying locations. 

viii.         Councillors and members of the public should flag concerns with litter and a need for additional bins to the operations team, so temporary bins can be installed to monitor their effect before permanent changes are made.