Agenda and minutes

A report of the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection provided an update on the progress against the Business Plan of the Markets Department for Period 2 (August - November) 2013-14 against key performance indicators (KPIs) and the objectives outlined in the Business Plan.

Members noted that the Markets & Consumer Protection Department had, to date, underspent in 2013/14 by £169k against an overall local risk budget of £1.1 million. The Department was forecast to underspend by £130k by the end of the financial year. The Committee was informed of how the underspend was distributed across City Fund and City Cash respectively.

The Director of Markets & Consumer Protection advised the Committee that the reasons for the current budget position at the end of November 2013 was largely due to balancing charges proving less that had originally been projected for Citigen costs (combined heat and power) for the years 2010-2013. Underspent funds would be subsumed within the capped service charge income at Smithfield Market. It was anticipated that the better than budget position would continue until the end of the financial year.

In discussion, Members queried the lower recycling figures at Smithfield Market compared with those at Spitalfields and Billingsgate markets. The Committee heard from the Superintendent of Smithfield Market that the new recycling regime had been newly implemented and the low numbers would relate to a large degree to the volume of trade. Further, many materials (such as cardboard) were ineligible for recycling if they were bloodstained.

The Committee, in response to a Member’s question, was informed by the Superintendent of Billingsgate Market that high pre-tender costs estimate at Billingsgate were due to an overestimate of how much that particular exercise would cost.

RESOLVED – That:

I. the contents of the report be noted.

II. Appendix C of the report (Market

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Christmas 2013 - Smithfield Market Traffic Management Plan update PDF 97 KB

Report of the Superintendent of Smithfield Market.

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Minutes:

A report of the Superintendent of Smithfield Market which updated Members on the outcome of the 2013 Christmas Traffic campaign was considered.

The Superintendent explained that a de-brief meeting was held with all interested parties on 28 January 2014 to discuss all aspects of the campaign and improvements for future campaigns were identified. The meeting was well-attended and positive, with the Chairman present to voice concerns about traffic problems and to explain the gridlock that had occurred throughout the Christmas period. The Superintendent stated that following the meeting on the 28January 2014, a further meeting had been organised for 11 February 2014 at which a more substantial plan of action would be drafted. The plan would be submitted to the Committee at its July 2014 meeting.

The Chairman updated the Committee, explaining that it had taken an hour to get through traffic in the area on one particular occasion and it was therefore suggested that, for Christmas 2014 there might be a need to introduce temporary traffic orders to ease congestion.

Responding to a question from a Member, the Superintendent of Smithfield Market explained that Christmas 2013 had seen more traffic problems than previous years. The reasons for this were due to a combination of factors, namely, an increase in the level of business and delivery traffic delays owing to problems elsewhere, which meant that supply vehicles were caught in rush hour traffic.

RESOLVED – That:

I. Some thought be given to the temporary traffic order arrangements ahead of Christmas 2014.

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Corporate Governance - Scheme of Delegations and Standing Orders PDF 432 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

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Minutes:

A report of the Town Clerk relative to the Scheme of Delegation relating to the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee heard that the Scheme of Delegations to Chief Officers had recently been reviewed and a number of changes were proposed to reflect changing legislation, corporate policy and operational requirements.

The Chairman noted that only the first four delegations listed in Appendix 1 (functions delegated to the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection) came under the purview of the Committee.

RESOLVED – That:-

I. Subject to the approval of the Policy and Resources Committee of the overall Scheme of Delegation, the delegations relating to the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection as set out in Appendix 1 be approved; and

II. Members note the proposed amendment to Standing Orders relating to the declaration of operation property assets which are surplus to requirements.

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Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

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Minutes:

BBC Filming at Billingsgate Market

A question was raised by a Member regarding a documentary being produced by the BBC regarding Billingsgate Market. Members were keen to ensure that the Committee was feeding in to the programme in some way.

The Superintendent of Billingsgate Market explained that the programme in question was in fact centred on one individual trader and was not relating to the work of the Committee. Consequently, there wasn’t any scope for the Committee to have or monitor involvement.

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Any Other Business that the Chairman Considers Urgent

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Minutes:

Letter to the Smithfield Market Tenants’ Association

The Chairman drew the Committee’s attention to a letter that had been sent to the Smithfield Market Tenants’ Association (SMTA) from a Common Councilman supporting a motion to relocate Smithfield Market outside of the City.

The Chairman requested that in the future, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Committee should have sight of such correspondence prior to it being sent.

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Exclusion of the Public

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

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Minutes:

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act as follows:-