Confusion Over Town Centre Forum Markets Consultation Response

Town Centre Forum Chair Nigel Lewis has today distanced himself from a Wrexham Council document that says the Forum are ambivalent over the town centre markets, which also attributes the view to him personally.

Last month a Wrexham Council Employment, Investment and Business Scrutiny Committee met to discuss a report about the future of the town’s markets – which was universally backed at the time as a ‘aspirational’ report proposing to revamp and modernise two of Wrexham’s historic indoor markets.

The report put before Councillors had the following note on consultations:-

Looking further into the ‘SAMP’ document that gives a fuller breakdown on market plans and assessments, it also gives more detail to the consultations that have taken place:-

The above note indicates that the Town Centre Forum has ‘no formal view or opinion’ on the consultation topic of the markets, and also says the Forum considers retailers as direct competition.

This statement is at odds with what we have found with Forum members we know who are fully supportive of the town’s markets and look forward to the new plans as they hope it will drive further footfall into town.

Readers will recall our coverage over the Arts Hub plans when the Town Centre Forum, led by the current Chairman, were very vocal over the impact of the plans on traders, when clearly the markets were a top priority.

Wrexham.com queried this point earlier today in this month’s meeting, and it appeared to come as a surprise to the Chairman Nigel Lewis. The Forum was discussing Henblas Street and how, despite some negative news regarding empty shops and the Post Office moving, there was investment to the tune of a 6 figure improvement of the toilets.

We found it odd that such investment was being praised yet the possible larger investment and changes to the two markets feeding off the street was left unmentioned. We read the above quotes from the Council document on the consultation and attributed viewpoint.

Nigel Lewis told the meeting he did not recall such a meeting or consultation, and directed a query towards Councillor Neil Rogers and Councillor David Bithell over when the meeting took place.

Cllr Rogers located a copy of the report pictured above and confirmed its accuracy and existence, and recounted meetings that had taken place with the Forum Chair and a former employee of Wrexham Council. Mr Lewis again disputed the accuracy of the statements and document, and requested further details to when the meeting took place, and a copy of the notes of the meeting.

Wrexham.com invited the meeting to make it clear that Town Centre Forum do support the investment, and that traders in the markets are still town centre traders regardless of if they are in shops or markets. No statement was agreed, or even discussed in that direction.

After the meeting a member of the Town Centre Forum mentioned their concerns that ‘consultations’ were being stated when the full Forum meeting are ‘never actually consulted’ on issues. Back in December 2015 we noted: “…that there have references to the Forum being ‘consulted‘ on market issues with no formal consultation response being sent to the Council. We were told wording will be improved to make it clear it it is informal rather than formal consultation to avoid any confusion.”

We will update if we are aware that the Council edit and amend the ‘consultation’ element of the documents, or, if the meeting recollection is clarified by the Forum Chair. As the item was left in the meeting as a request for information, we imagine clarity will emerge at next month’s meeting.