Agenda item

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2016.

The public minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2016 were considered and approved as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Smithfield Market Christmas Traffic Plan Review (page 6) – In response to a question, the Chairman clarified that the car parking charges report would now be brought to the Markets Committee in July 2016 as the review had taken longer than originally anticipated.

Strategic Review of the Markets (page 9) – The Director reported that a GLA Market Review of all London Markets was about to commence with the GLA now in the final stages of appointing a consultant. It was anticipated that the City could utilise much of the research that was to be undertaken as part of their own review of the City Corporation’s Markets.

A Member commented that it was important for the City to protect its interests under this review and to determine their own preferred course of action for the City Markets. The Director reminded the Committee that, with two of the City Corporation’s markets located outside of the City, any relocation of these would, inevitably, involve the GLA.

The Director reported that he had been invited to sit on the GLA Steering Group for the Review and that the City had also been consulted on the terms of reference.

In response to a question, the Director confirmed that the GLA Review would be at no cost to the City Corporation.

Billingsgate Fraud (page 10) – The Director reported that the individual concerned had now been sentenced to 2 years and 8 months imprisonment after being found guilty of 14 charges of fraud.

The Committee were informed that the sentencing had received some publicity in both the Evening Standard and the Daily Mail.

In response to questions, the Director reported that the City Corporation now intended to recover as much of the money stolen as possible under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The accused’s lawyer had said that the individual was in the process of selling his home in order to re-pay some of the money stolen. This had been taken into account as mitigation and possibly led to a reduced sentence.