Agenda item

To consider the relocation of Hythe market, transfer of management and control of Hythe market to Hythe & Dibden Parish Council.

Mrs H Owers, Hythe & Dibden Parish Council, addressed the Committee. She explained that the market traders currently operating in the St John’s Street car park had requested a more central location. A large proportion of the shops in Hythe were independently owned and increasing trade in the village was vital for their future. The Parish Council had been developing Hythe as a visitor destination and the relocation of the Market was part of the long term vision to keep Hythe a vibrant and flourishing town.  The Parish Council had undertaken consultations with residents and the relocation of the market had received public support.

The Committee considered Hythe & Dibden Parish Council’s request to relocate the weekly Tuesday Hythe Market from part of New Forest District Council’s car park at St Johns Street to parts of the High Street, St Johns Street and The Marsh and to transfer management control of the market from the District Council to the Parish Council.

It was noted that the request before the Committee was the first stage in the process of relocating the market, and was a request for the Committee to follow the process for designating certain streets as streets where trading could take place, with the Council’s consent.  

Once a street was designated as a consent street, the Council would have powers to issue consents to traders to trade in that street. The Council could delegate these powers, by entering into a formal agreement to the Parish Council. This would relieve the District Council of the burden of carrying on the operation of a market.

It was noted that both the Portfolio Holders for Finance and Efficiency and Planning and Transportation supported the proposals.

Members supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED:

(a)             That, in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, notice be published in a local newspaper as soon as possible of the Committee’s intention to pass the following draft resolution on 15 January 2016; and

                  “That parts of the High Street, St Johns Street and The Marsh in Hythe, Southampton be designated as consent streets within the meaning of Schedule 4 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, and that this designation comes into force on 18 February 2016”; and

(b)             That a brief report setting out responses from the public and statutory consultees be brought to the 15 January 2016 Committee meeting. If there are no objections and/or the responses are favourable, that report shall contain the following recommendations:

(i)               That those parts of the High Street, St Johns Street and The Marsh in Hythe shown coloured green on the plan attached as Appendix 2, be designated as consent streets within the meaning of Schedule 4 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, and that this designation comes into force on 18 February 2016; and

(ii)              That the following recommendations be made to full Council at its meeting on 22 February 2016:

That, subject to an agreement being entered into under the recommendation below, and the making of a Traffic Regulation Order in relation to part of St Johns Street, all the Council’s functions under paragraphs 7 and 9 of Schedule 4 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 be delegated to Hythe and Dibden Parish Council in respect of those parts of the High Street, St Johns Street and The Marsh in Hythe which were designated as consent streets on 18 February 2016;

That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to enter into a written agreement with Hythe and Dibden Parish Council concerning the terms on which the Parish Council is to exercise this delegation; and

That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the appropriate Head of Service and the Chairman of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee, be authorised to exercise the Council’s powers under the terms of the agreement referred to above.