Leader of the Council and Place Shaping Cabinet Member – Minutes 6 September 2017 (Urgt)

6 (6) SCUNTHORPE MARKET – CONSULTATION – The Director: Business Development submitted an urgent report seeking approval to initiate a formal consultation exercise over the future operations of Scunthorpe Market.

The council had a commitment to improve the provision of the markets it owned and operated.  Ashby Market was currently approaching the completion of £800,000 of investment to improve and modernise provision.  In conjunction with this, the council had previously agreed that further investment would be made to regenerate the provision of a market within Scunthorpe town centre.

A consultation was required to seek views from traders, residents, shoppers and surrounding businesses on the best future location, operating model and resourcing of Scunthorpe market to allow the progression of the Scunthorpe Town Centre Masterplan and the drawing down of £4m funding from Government via the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership in 2017-19.

Ahead of this consultation exercise being launched, a series of designs and plans had been produced for consideration which communicated and visualised how a future market for Scunthorpe could look.  The potential model highlighted the possibility of a street market for the town centre, building on the success of regional neighbours such as Rotherham had experienced, through transforming fixed site markets into award winning street markets.  The consultation plans also highlighted the potential for some fixed site provision for a food hall elsewhere in the town centre.

An urgent decision was sought as the consultation needed to commence immediately so as to inform the business case which was required to be in place by the end of Autumn 2017 in order to draw down the funding.

The consultation would begin in early September 2017 and would continue for four weeks.  A survey and plans had been produced for the consultation exercise.

Resolved – That option 3.1, that a formal consultation exercise on the future operational model and location of Scunthorpe market be undertaken, be approved.

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