Labour will scrap controversial Lib Dem plans to relocate Stockport Market on day one when they form a new administration to run the Council on 24th May.
Labour Group Leader Councillor Alex Ganotis said ‘The new Executive will base any future market proposal on evidence and a thorough appraisal of all viable options.
‘The Council should always have been committed to genuinely considering the outcome of both consultations which took place in March. Labour will now ensure that happens.
‘As part of this process the new Executive Member for the Economy and Regeneration will be sending the Council Officers who have been working on these plans back to the drawing board, as well as meeting traders, affected businesses, and shoppers.
‘As Labour has consistently said, any plan needs to be about improving the market and working with traders to help them grow their businesses and bring new traders in, rather than flying in the face of what the wishes of the local community are.
‘Our historic market is such a jewel in the crown for our borough that it is incredibly important to not rush into changes which haven’t been thought through. A Labour Council will make sure we get this right and not rush to meet arbitrary deadlines.’
In April a row over a lack of consultation on plans to relocate traders from the historic marketplace, and replace them with a food and drink offer, led to the resignation of a Lib Dem Executive Member and threw the whole process into chaos.
Labour Economy and Regeneration Spokesperson Councillor Kate Butler said ‘The Liberal Democrats never provided traders, shoppers or Councillors with any concrete business case that a specialist food and drink market is economically viable.
‘As an Executive Member I will make any decision on the future of the market based on evidence and on representations which local people make to me.
‘After the previous Executive caused so much uncertainty by their ill-considered proposals, I’d also like to send out loud and clear the message that Stockport Market is well and truly open for business and encourage local residents to visit this summer.’
One thought on “Labour Will Scrap Lib Dem Market Plan”
There were some very questionable ommissions in that Lib Dem “Draft” report. Not least the details of how “one man band” Market Operations Ltd were selected without any formal Open Tender. Also the financial details between the Council (Tax Payers) and this person were not released, as they were deemed “not in the Public Interest”, why?
If the proposals were to reduce the Councils “losses” in running the Market,, what financial benefit would handing the Market over to a private individual, be to the Stockport Council Tax payers? Would the Council Tax be reduced? I could go on and on, but the ommissions in that “Draft Report” were deafening.
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