Agenda item

Superintendents to be heard.

The Committee received oral updates from each of the Market Superintendents as follows:

Smithfield Market

The Superintendent began by updating Members on work around HGV management on site. He reported that an audit had taken place in February 2017 and undertook to circulate the outcome of this, together with associated Action Points to the Committee. He went on to report that banksmen training was to take place between April-June 2017 and that thereafter the Market would fully expect 100% compliance. The Superintendent was clear that this was his number one priority on site at present.

With regard to sickness absence at the market, the Committee were informed that the Superintendent had been monitoring this closely over the past four months and that it was now projected that an average of 5.61 days per employee would be achieved by the end of April 2017 - a significant improvement on past performance.

Finally the Superintendent reported that a litter campaign had now started on site, in consultation with the SMTA. In due course, this would be combined with an overall review of recycle on the site.

New Spitalfields Market

The Superintendent updated the Committee on the re-tendering of the waste contract, reporting that this was now at the mobilisation phase. He stated that he was currently liaising with tenants regarding their bin requirements and similar issues and that the project would be delivered within the originally forecast timescale. He added that he had already been in conversation with the incoming contractor regarding their plant/machinery.

Members were informed that waste on site for 2015/16 had reduced by 2,000 tonnes and that 2016/17 had seen a further reduction of 1,300 tonnes. Market staff had now increased the number of stop and searches, increased costs and increased enforcement, all of which had been effective disincentives to those bringing waste to the site.

With regard to smoking enforcement on site, the Market had now taken this in hand themselves following unproductive attempts to engage with Waltham Forest on this matter. Smokers were now charged a £50 admin fee under the terms of their lease and the Superintendent was pleased to report that this had led to almost full compliance with just three warnings issued to date.

The Superintendent went on to report that Heads of Terms had now been sent out and that the majority of these had already been signed and returned. It was envisaged that all would be complete by 1 July 2017.

Finally, the Committee were informed that the entry barrier project had been signed off at Gateways 1&2, the tender was ready for publishing, and the necessary funds had been  allocated. The Superintendent reported that this was now in the hands of Waltham Forest to progress in terms of Planning ‘sign off’.

Billingsgate Market

The Superintendent was pleased to report that the member of staff who had previously been on long term sickness leave had now been successfully phased back to work full time.

With regard to the Chairman of the Tenants Association, who had now been hospitalised since June 2016 following a surgical procedure, the Superintendent regrettably informed the Committee that he was now in the process of being transferred to a hospice and that he hoped to visit him on behalf of the Market and the Committee once he was settled here. The Superintendent reported that he had enjoyed a good working relationship with the Chairman and had previously met with him on an almost daily basis. These meetings now took place with the tenants body monthly. The Superintendent reported that he was due to meet with the tenants body tomorrow where the funding of market works/projects was currently an ongoing issue. The Director had been written to regarding the possibility of relaxing the conditions of the sinking fund as all parties were keen to improve the site.

The Superintendent went on to report that land handed to Crossrail for the construction of a Canary Wharf station was set to be fully returned to the Market by the end of July 2017. Discussions with tenants who wished to construct on this land going forward were already underway and the Market was working closely with the Comptroller and City Solicitor on this matter.

Finally, the Superintendent reported that an HSBC window had been blown out during February’s ‘Storm Doris’ and had landed on the Market balcony area. Fortunately, no pedestrians were present and only minor damage had been caused to the site. The Superintendent stated that he had questioned HSBC as to whether the incident had been reported to the Health and Safety Executive and had strongly suggested that transparency would be best here. He had suggested that this was a matter for them to follow up. A Member suggested that the Market should report this incident to the executive if the bank were reluctant to do so.