Market Hall Refurbishment

[JCB]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

get the butchers to hang some skinned rabbits from their stalls...Lovely!

Yummy .

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

I must admit, I like the mock Victoriana signs. Maybe the theme should be extended further - sprinkle sawdust over the uncovered stone flags....get the butchers to hang some skinned rabbits from their stalls...maybe some pheasants too, well matured so that the maggots are falling out (which means they're just ready to eat). Best of all, maybe all the blokes could walk round the place smoking clay pipes. Lovely!

Don't they do that already

[lancsdave]

Wasn't it the meeting last night ? Anyone know the outcome of the 6 day issue ?

[Neil]

I do but I wont steal Kens thunder, I know he will be along soon to tell us all.

[Ken Moss]

And here he is. To put everything in perspective, here is the exact wording of my motion last night:

This Council agrees as a matter of urgency to request that Cabinet hold a ballot of Market Hall Traders and that each business within Accrington Market Hall will be given one vote as to whether 6-day trading continues beyond January 2011 and that no members of Hyndburn Borough Council or its employees will be able to take part in the ballot. Ballot papers will need to be returned to the Market Hall Superintendent for a recorded vote at close of business on 31st January 2011 to be witnessed by one Conservative member, one Labour member and one Independent member. The details of the recorded vote will remain confidential and the outcome of the vote will be this Council’s recommendation to be implemented by Cabinet at its meeting on 8th February 2011.

A list of signatures from the Market Hall traders and their preferences regarding 6-day trading was handed to me just prior to the meeting and explicitly showed that 6 traders are firmly against 6 day trading, 5 are in favour of it, 16 would like it to be optional and 1 trader did not sign. This was copied to every councillor in the chamber although the Mayor withdrew it as evidence on the basis that it was not legally admissable following advice from the officers

In contrast, Cllr Haworth gave a similar presentation with variant figures and the 'suggestion' that the majority of traders wanted 6 day trading. She conceded that 6 day trading wasn't working but 5-and-a-half days would now be pushed instead. I was accused of single-handedly causing all the friction in the Market Hall over 6-day trading and not letting it drop by continually mentioning it on my website, later revealed to be....Accyweb! Cllr Haworth asked the Labour group to stop going on about the Market Hall at council meetings and put the matter to bed.

My summing up was that I was trying to put it to bed in a democratic way, allowing the traders the unequivocal chance to say once and for all how they feel about 6 day trading officially and end the argument. I pointed out the similar situation brewing in Blackburn and that every councillor wants the Market Hall to succeed, not a £2.5m empty monument to council ignorance in 12 months' time. I did point out that a vote against the motion would be voting against a democratic vote for the traders but this went largely unheeded.

There were 14 votes in favour, 16 votes against and three abstentions.

Viva democracy in Hyndburn.

[Neil]

Thank you for the information Ken.

Out of interest who abstained?

So what does 5 1/2 day trading mean, as in which are the 5 1/2 days the market will be open and when will it be closed?

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

In contrast, Cllr Haworth gave a similar presentation with variant figures and the 'suggestion' that the majority of traders wanted 6 day trading. She conceded that 6 day trading wasn't working but 5-and-a-half days would now be pushed instead.

So 6 day trading doesn't work, yet the majority of traders are in favour of it, and because of that the council want it to be 5 and half days.

I think you mentioned earlier on this thread that it was turning in to a Monty Python sketch. It's more like the Hyndburn Goon Show

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by Neil

Thank you for the information Ken.

Out of interest who abstained?

So what does 5 1/2 day trading mean, as in which are the 5 1/2 days the market will be open and when will it be closed?

Three of the four Independents abstained, with Cllr Parkins of Huncoat voting in favour. Cllr Britcliffe and Cllr Pam Barton left the room because of personal interests in the Market Hall, as per the rules.

5-and-a-half day trading means closing at 1pm on Wednesdays. I did point out that if the Conservative group was so cocksure of the number of traders in favour then there was little harm in allowing a democratic recorded vote. That didn't go down terribly well either and I was accused of being dictatorial to the traders.

The irony!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

5-and-a-half day trading means closing at 1pm on Wednesdays.

I hope there going to employ more people to clean the streets when they have nowhere to pee. They are closing the Peel St toilets Monday & Wednesday forcing the use of the Market Hall toilets. I also heard they are closing Peel St toilets permanently

[flashy]

when can PB be 'voted out' of 'ruling' Hyndburn? has he got years left?, i'm not into politics at all but he is a bit of a plank isn't he, he seems to be doing a great job of turning people against him

[Neil]

May this year

[flashy]

fingers crossed then

[Less]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I was accused of single-handedly causing all the friction in the Market Hall over 6-day trading and not letting it drop by continually mentioning it on my website, later revealed to be....Accyweb!

He's not a Labour Councillor....










All together now...

He's A Very Naughty Boy!

[gynn]

Now I'm slightly confused.

Your figures show an overwhelming desire on the part of the market traders to have 6 day opening in one form or another. If your ballot had gone ahead, presumably 21 out of 27 would vote for 6 day trading, since your straw poll says they are either in favour or wanti it to be optional. I thought you said they were all against it.

But why on earth would the Mayor "disallow your figures as evidence on the basis that it is not legally admissible"? Evidence for what? Members werent being asked for any final decisions on 6 day opening. In my experience, all sorts of dodgy material has always been circulated at Council meetings, and it has never been considered something on which officers should be dragged into. It is for members to decide on its relevance, not officers.

After all, we are talking about a Council meeting, not the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey!

It sounds to me as if Councillor Haworth has judged the market traders mood correctly by pushing for 5 1/2 day opening as a sort of "half way house".

[Neil]

Originally Posted by gynn

It sounds to me as if Councillor Haworth has judged the market traders mood correctly by pushing for 5 1/2 day opening as a sort of "half way house".

If they are so sure the market traders want 6 days why not allow the vote and put it to bed once and for all?

What will happen in May if Labour have the majority? Will they start to play with the opening times again I wonder?

This could go on for ever.