The Regeneration and Major Projects Team Manager submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended).  The Board also had before it a Scrutiny report (previously circulated, now appended).  Councillor Campbell and Fooks addressed the meeting.  In summary they referred to the need for a clear positioning of the Council in respect of its responsibility for the Covered Market and that this should be made clear in the Asset Management Strategy; that a market manager should be appointed as soon as possible and work should then commence as a priority with the traders to develop the Covered Market for the future and to improve trust between the traders and the Council; and that the physical development of the Covered Market on the Market Street frontage was important.

Resolved to:-

(1) Note the consultants’ recommendations and the responses to the public consultation on the consultants’ report;

            (2) Instruct the officers to prepare a detailed, costed action plan and programme, that plan to consider, among other things, the content of Scrutiny recommendations 5-8 and to emphasise the importance of a market committee to facilitate this, among other purposes;

            (3) Subject to funds being available in the Council’s Budget, to be agreed by Council on 19^th February, to endorse the appointment of an interim market manager;

            (4)   On Scrutiny recommendations 1, 3 and 4, generally to endorse them; and on recommendation 2, that a market manager would be appointed subject to funds being available in the Council’s Budget (resolution (3) above refers).