Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on progress made in responding to the recommendations arising from the previous Scrutiny Inquiry into the future of Kirkgate Market.

(Report attached)

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report on progress made in responding to the recommendations arising from the previous Scrutiny Inquiry into the future of Kirkgate Market.

Appended to the report was a copy of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• Recommendations tracking flowchart and classifications; Questions to be considered by Scrutiny Boards (Appendix 1 refers)
• Draft status for each recommendation (Appendix 2 refers)

The Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser apologised for the submission of an additional appendix which related to another inquiry and which had been circulated in error (pages 19 to 24).

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Board Members’ queries and comments:-

Paul Stephens, Chief Economic Development Officer, City Development

Cath Follin, Head of City Centre and Markets

Councillor G Harper, Chair, Leeds Markets Forum

Liz Laughton, Chair of National Markets Traders Federation Leeds (Kirkgate Branch)

At the request of the Chair, the Chief Economic Development Officer and the Head of City Centre and Markets outlined the key issues within the report highlighting the progress made towards the twelve recommendations.

Councillor G Harper and Liz Laughton were also invited to comment on the recommendations.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices and Board Members raised their concerns on the apparent lack of progress made against the majority of the recommendations since July 2011.

Following discussions, the Board made a number of changes to the proposed category status recommendations identified in Appendix 2 of the report which were duly noted by the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser.

In concluding, the Chair agreed to raise the above concerns with the Executive Member, Development and the Economy.

RESOLVED-

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That approval be given to those recommendations (recommendations 8, 9 and 11) which no longer require monitoring to be removed from the schedule in accordance with the report now submitted.

c)  That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser make changes to the proposed category status of appendix 2 of the report as follows:

Recommendation 1 change from category 4 to category 5

Recommendation 2 change from category 4 to category 5

Recommendation 3 remains at category 5

Recommendation 4 change from category 1 to category 4

Recommendation 5 remains at category 4

Recommendation 6 remains at category 5

Recommendation 7 remains at category 4

Recommendation 10 remains at category 4

Recommendation 12 remains at category 6

d)  That a report of the Director of City Development be presented to the next Board meeting providing the following information on the:

·  Relevant Executive Board minute of 27^th July 2011

·  Steps taken to comply with the Executive Board’s decision of 27^th July 2011 to transfer Kirkgate Market to an arms length company and the instruction given to officers to further investigate what form this should taken in response to the Scrutiny Inquiry Report on the Future of Kirkgate Market

·  Details of the work that has been commissioned to establish the optimum size of the future market, together with consultant costs

·  Details of the lettings policy for the indoor market, together with exempt information showing the amount each trader pays.

·  Market traders signage and the payment of a bond

·  Action taken to facilitate meetings between the market traders and Hammersons

·  Works that are to be carried out by the Council in the indoor market at a cost of £200,000 and whether market traders have now been notified of this fact

e)  That the Director of City Development be invited to attend the next

  Board meeting on 31^st October 2011.

f)  That minutes of the Market Traders Forum be circulated to Board Members on a regular basis for their information/retention.

(Councillor R Pryke left the meeting at 11.45am during discussions of the above item)

(Councillors J Harper and M Iqbal left the meeting at 12 noon during discussions of the above item)