Agenda and minutes

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or an Affected Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest.  If the Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

There were no declarations of personal or disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to items on the agenda.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 January 2014.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 January 2014 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any other items which, pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, the Chairman decides are urgent.

There were no urgent items of business.

To consider the future of Bracknell Market and Winchester House following the public consultation.

The Assistant Chief Executive presented a report on the future of Bracknell Market and Winchester House.

A public consultation process was carried out by an independent market research organisation and it outlined three realistic options on the future of the market and Winchester House.  The options were as follows:

·         Option 1: Keep Bracknell Market and Winchester House as they currently stand and do not redevelop the site.

·         Option 2: Move Bracknell Market to an outside location and redevelop Winchester House.

·         Option 3: Close Bracknell Market and redevelop Winchester House.

The consultation was carried out from 18 November 2014 to 13 January 2014 and 1050 responses were received.  Of these response 72% were in support of Option 2.

It was noted that Berkshire Meats also supported Option 2 as their preferred option for the market.  Also following the consultation two further responses were received, one from a member of the public who requested a purpose built indoor market.  The other from Bracknell Town Council whom supported the redevelopment of Winchester House and commented on the value of having a market in the town centre.

On 22 January a petition was submitted to Council and considered by the Committee,  requesting that the questions be changed to reflect the need for an indoor market.  This option has been investigated but it would not be a realistic economically viable solution due to the regeneration changes that the town centre is currently undergoing.  It is important to note that the future of Winchester House is wholly related to that of the market and it is impossible for it to be developed without the relocation of the market.

It was noted that, if required, the Council would be working with the current indoor market traders during the transition from the indoor to an outdoor location.  They would be offered the opportunity to take a space in the new temporary outdoor market and in the eventual permanent location.  Also the permanent outdoor market solution would explore ways to provide necessary storage.

The Committee were also informed that agreement with the current market management company, Grenchurch, would be amended to enable the management of a new outdoor market.

RESOLVED that

1          Option 2 outlined in the associated report be endorsed,  and that Bracknell Market be relocated to an outdoor location and that Winchester House be redeveloped.

2          Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive to vary the management agreement with Grenchurch to facilitate an outdoor market.

3          The Council secures vacant possession of the market on a date to be determined by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Executive member for Regeneration and Economic Development.