Ripon City Council has launched a bid to take control of the city’s Thursday and Saturday markets.
The ancient markets have been operated by Harrogate Borough Council since local government reorganisation in 1974.
But with Harrogate Borough Council set to be abolished in 15 months, Ripon city councillors have decided to act.
Independent council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“In recent years stall numbers have reduced and we firmly believe that the market needs an overhaul that will revitalise it.
“We are looking to work in partnerships with other like-minded market towns, such as Knaresborough, as we feel that we can build new working relationships with our neighbours, to deliver better services.”
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Ripon City Council has already called for other key assets, including the city’s town hall, Hugh Ripley Hall, Spa Gardens and Spa Park to return to local ownership from Harrogate Borough Council.
It says provisions in the Localism Act, designed to protect assets of community value (ACV), should be used to achieve this prior to the formation of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority next year.
Moves are already underway to retain community use at Spa Baths, after the city council successfully applied in September to have the historic building listed as an ACV.
Market stallholders and Knaresborough Chamber of Trade have reacted angrily after a councillor discredited a petition they raised about increased charges.
At the online full meeting of Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) in October, Steve Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, presented a ‘save your market’ petition with 4,000 signatures, raised during the summer at the town’s Wednesday market and Ripon’s Thursday market.
Following the meeting, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, HBC’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, contacted individual signatories, saying in a letter sent by post to their homes, or to email addresses:
“The statements made in the petition were misleading and incorrect.”
Harrogate Borough Council has an uneasy relationship with stallholders at its markets in Knaresborough and Ripon
The petition said:
“Harrogate Borough Council is increasing the cost of rent and stall assembly to traders by over 25 per cent. This will mean that it will not be financially viable to continue trading for several market traders.
“Other local councils helped market traders who could trade during lockdown providing essential food products. This was through charging no rent or discounting rent.
“When non-food traders were allowed to return, after not being able to trade for 3 months, full rent was charged (by HBC), despite other local councils providing financial assistance.”
Twenty non-essential traders applied for local authority discretionary grants and each received payments of £10,000 in two instalments – the first in the summer of £2,000 and then £8,000 in October. At the time the grant money was welcomed by those who had received it.
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However, the stallholders are unhappy about an increase of £5 plus VAT from August 1 for the supply and assembly of stalls by the council. Traders who erect their own stalls have not had to pay the additional fee.
The bid to get a council u-turn on increased charges failed, but Cllr Paraskos’s letter has reignited feelings of distrust between the traders and the council and the relationship has deteriorated. A statement on the letter was given by HBC:
“It is not unusual for an elected member to correspond with the electorate on a range of different issues, whether related to their cabinet responsibilities or ward matters.
“In this case, it was important to set out in clear terms the council’s position on Knaresborough and Ripon markets after much mis-reporting and false claims circulating.
“There were only 747 unique names and addresses among the signatories on the petition.”
Mr Teggin told the Stray Ferret:
“I speak on behalf of stallholders, when I say attempts to undermine the petition is an insult, not only to the people who signed it, knowing it was factually correct, but to the market traders in Knaresborough and Ripon who have played an important role throughout the coronavirus crisis.
“We have already lost traders who have found the increased cost too much to bear and we cannot understand why Harrogate Borough Council treats us with such disdain.”
Brian Murphy, who represents Ripon’s stallholders, pointed out:
“The monthly invoice for rental and assembly of stalls that I paid the council in June was £550 including VAT and in August it shot up by £156 to £706 – that’s an increase of more than 25 per cent.
“I feel that with his letter, Cllr Paraskos was calling me and other market traders liars, but he has failed to substantiate in what ways the wording on our joint petition was ‘misleading and incorrect’.
“Attempting to cast doubts over a petition signed freely by the people who visit and value the markets in Ripon and Knaresborough, is yet another kick in the teeth from a council that is completely out of step with neighbouring authorities, who genuinely support and have a good relationship with stallholders.”