East Cambridgeshire District Council

Councillors last week agreed to improvement plan which aims to develop and grow Ely’s Markets over the next few years.

At a meeting of the Community Services Committee, there was a thorough debate of the options which were put in front of members to approve.

This agreed a number of recommendations including the following:

• A weekly charge of £10 to supply and dismantle stalls for the Saturday Craft and Collectable Market. This would be discounted by 50 per cent for six months from October 2010 to March 2011
• Reducing staff costs by 50 per cent
• Work to secure a minimum of ten additional traders to the relevant markets by the end of 2011/12
• Look to expand the market through by developing new markets and seeking to secure control over the Market Square to develop additional income generation opportunities

Since the meeting further investigation has revealed that the traders need not pay VAT for the supply and dismantle of the stalls.

Any income the Council receives will be used to rebalance the authority's reserves while ensuring the market continues to grow and prosper.

Councillor Peter Cresswell, Chairman of Community Services Committee at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "The Markets are incredibly important to Ely which is why we have all worked so hard to find solutions to the issues which our tough financial situation have presented. It has been clear throughout that we wanted to develop our markets to secure their future - the often quoted notion of the Council trying to close the Markets couldn't be further from the truth.

"I believe we have struck a good balance as we strive to find the necessary financial savings but also help to the traders from across all the Markets to have a fair deal. Over the next few weeks and months, we will be looking to introduce the Implementation Plan to ensure we continue to have Markets which are the envy of the East of England. We know traders and shoppers want to come here - it is our job to support this in the best way possible."

For further information or to submit information please call us on 01353 665555.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

For further information contact Tony Taylorson in the Communications Team on 01223 699285.

Political contacts: Cllr Peter Cresswell (Con), Cllr Pauline Wilson (Lib Dem) 01353 740617 and Cllr Derrick Beckett (Ind) 01638 780476.