jimbow
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£100k the cost of not following professional advice.
Advice initially sought and paid for out of our council funds.
Will there be any resignations from the top table and below?
“The advice received is unequivocally clear the judicial review claim has overwhelming merit and the Council has undoubtedly acted unlawfully”
If you then vote to act unlawfully, in my opinion you should resign, and the sooner, the better.
What annoys me is the Three submitted a Notice of Motion on 27th September 2023 to seek approval for the Council to pay the costs of their external legal advisors. It looks later on that same day a Notice of Discontinuance was submitted to Welsh Government. Obviously they had got cold feet after being informed they were legally on their own and racking up considerable costs which the Council were not responsible for.
This undertaking was obviously not very well thought through, I am not really surprised
I take on board the reasoning behind the Judicial review to uphold democratic decisions. However, do full time officers not expect the same respect in giving their democratic advice.
I don’t fully understand the logic of seeking an £80 million pound investment for an enterprise zone only to find there are no new homes for the workers this could attract.
Wrexham Council pushed all buttons to attain City Status, but now want to reject the growth that could come with it.
wrexview:- “Revamping the Butchers Market is a great opportunity if the Council can get the balance right”
The Butchers Market had a total of 34 stalls, of which 11 were let prior to the closure. On closure 4 elected to cease trading and since then the only Butcher has closed. The new Butchers Market will probably have space for around 30 stalls. This, if the 6 stalls at present in Queens Square decide to return, will leave an area of some 24 stalls to fill, considering the current trading trend a huge task.
Should the Queens Square traders find their sales have increased in the new location that they did not wish to move back, only adds to the problem.
A suggestion was made to the Council that the Butchers and General Market stalls be combined, the General with all its clothes stalls being an added attraction in the Butchers.
The suggestion also pointed out that the General Market could be offered out to the likes of Saith Seren as a city centre all eating/drinking/singing/dancing venue in conjunction with the green space opposite. This could integrate with the City of Culture bid.
Unfortunately, the Council did not reply.
It takes months, if not years, to become fully established. Only to find, after 40 years of trading, WCBC in their wisdom under regeneration can bring it down in a month.
There were around 53 stalls in the old Peoples Market prior to it being closed for the Ty Pawb project, of which around a third were let. When it came back on stream, the available stalls had been reduced to around 20. This made sense as traders are a dying breed.
Now the Butchers Market has around 34 stalls of which around 12 are currently let. Under the refurbishment, the cafe and the one remaining butcher will remain trading in the market whilst the refurbishment is in process. The other approx 10 stalls will move to Queens Square. I have been told that 4 of those 10 will not be returning when the market comes back on stream. The plan for the new Butchers Market is to retain around 30 stalls. Where are new tenants coming from to fill these stalls?
Why spend 2/3 million on a project that could turn out to be not fit for purpose.
There have been other suggestions put forward as to the future plans for the markets, but the Council’s minds seem to be made up.
Derek, I agree Council vanity project sums it up, It is the Regeneration Department that in my opinion seem to be failing the City. The Butchers/General Market refurbishment still trundles on, way behind anticipated starting dates.
It came across to me very clear from yesterday’s meeting, Plaid and Labour councillors were the only parties asking questions. The Regeneration Department Report not fit for purpose was a joke.
The Consultants Report pointing out the possible need for a Dedicated Executive Director consider the present set up as being not dedicated?
I have just been told that the Markets’ redevelopment, moving of traders to Queens Square, has been put back until at least July. The reason being given as no contractors are available.
There is also talk of a long-standing market official resigning from their job. What on earth is going on in WCBC?
Many of the traders in the past on the Monday Market came from Cheshire, Manchester areas. With Wrexham outdoor market reducing in stallholders over the years, these traders now have other venues to choose from. Bury, Arndale, Bolton, Chorley, Widnes, Southport. Cost of fuel, stall fees all add up the costs. The simple truth is traders need to show a return and obviously Wrexham doesn’t fit that criteria.
Maybe the moving of the Butchers and General Market traders to that area could give it a fresh lift. But there again what happens when they move back. There are not enough market traders left to fill all venues.
