Posts in category: Basecamp

As a reminder, in the last few months NABMA has sought to raise the profile of benchmarking Markets. Working with APSE, the professional organisation for benchmarking various Council services, we have provided a framework for the Markets of our District and Unitary Council members to participate in this important service. While we have a small and dedicated core of members involved we need more to make the service meaningful. In order to provide information, understand the resource requirement and deal with any concerns we have decided to hold a virtual workshop on Friday 12th November at 10am. This will be facilitated by APSE and hopefully will lead to greater support for benchmarking in 2022. Thank you to those that have already booked a place. I would encourage everyone with an interest in benchmarking to attend this workshop. Further details will be provided shortly but you can still register now for this important event. Please send your expression of interest to info@nabma.com  Yours sincerely,David PrestonChief Executive

The presentations from the NABMA October 2021 Conference are now available to download in the Members’ Area of the website:https://nabma.com/digital-library/Website SupportFor any support accessing the website, please email support@nabma.com

Having recently celebrated the 800th anniversary of our Market in Market Harborough, with a Royal visit, this is an exciting opportunity to lead Harborough District Council’s high-profile Market and Events function. Sitting within the Council’s dynamic Economy and Business service, this post offers the opportunity to make a real difference at both a strategic and local level and contribute to the Council’s vision of having a vibrant, safe and prosperous District.Harborough Market is a thriving and award-winning small market which operates six days per week (Tuesday – Sunday) and supports up to 150 traders and, pre-Covid, attracted over 700,000 visitors per year.https://ats-harborough.jgp.co.uk/vacancies/169067?ga_client_id=e85e342e-2d76-46f5-b623-24c51a71df90&type=list

What a busy NABMA Saturday as Love Your Local Market 2021 gets underway for the next two weeks.This is the ninth year of this high profile event started by NABMA and now delivered in 24 different countries.This year, of course, is different, due to COVID, with an October date but the messages are the same and now even more important – markets are back; they are at the heart of their local communities and high street and offer exciting low entry and low cost business opportunities. Remember how many national companies started life on their local market.Year on year markets use this celebration to add exciting events to their calendars, create offers and promotions, arrange markets for young people and highlight the important role of markets in our towns and communities.We have created a variety of logos and social media tiles for you to use on your various networks including exact sizes for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profile pictures and headers. We will be adding new content all the time. You can also download print ready (CMYK) versions of the graphics for any printed material you plan to produce.ACCESS GOOGLE DRIVE FOR GRAPHICSPlease join in the campaign; use our logos on your social media and tag us in your posts. Send us pictures of your activities and any celebrity visitors to your markets. #LYLM2021Together, let’s use the LYLM 2021 campaign to send the message far and wide – that markets are back and at the heart of our local communities.For any support or information about the campaign email support@nabma.com

Further to my recent email I have now been advised that two of our members have pursued successful applications to recover compensation for loss of street trading income.  While what qualifies is a matter for local authority Finance Officers NABMA is encouraged that we have now had feedback from four members that compensation has been successfully claimed for loss of Market charges, car boot sales lost income and street trading lost income. Please let us know about your experience. Yours sincerely   David Preston

I have written previously to alert members to this updated compensation package which is a one off scheme compensating local authorities for up to 75% of losses incurred as a result of Covid 19 related issues. It appears that commercial rents are not covered by the compensation package but what is actually covered is down to interpretation by the local authority’s Finance Officer. As a result of NABMA’s encouragement some members have already benefitted with Harborough and Calderdale being able to recoup losses sustained through the loss of open market charges and car boot sale income respectively. NABMA would encourage more members to make applications particularly where the loss arises from what is described as transactional activity rather than commercial activity. Throughout the pandemic NABMA has been making representations to government about the failure to support Local Councils and at last I am able to report some good news. As a result of NABMA’s representations the former Secretary of State , prior to the recent reshuffle, “wrote to principal authorities to urge them to discuss appropriate funding support to Local Councils”.  Of course, there is no guarantee of a successful application but this is an invitation to make an application and to accompany that application with government support. While NABMA’s focus is of course on claiming compensation for loss of market income there are other possibilities that will be open to Local Councils. Finally, I return to the issue of lost income arising from street trading activities. I have asked the government for a specific ruling on whether such loss qualifies for compensation. The government’s response is that it is a matter for local determination. This again encourages NABMA to urge our members conducting street trading activities to make an application.  Please tell us how you get on. It is only through your feedback that we can make our dialogue with government meaningful.

Dear ColleagueNABMA Market View – October 2021 EditionNABMA is pleased to announce the October edition of our newsletter, NABMA Market View. Click here to viewYours faithfully, David PrestonChief ExecutiveNABMA

This is an exciting opportunity to be key a part of the Markets Service function within City Operations at Birmingham City Council.It’s an exciting and challenging time in the Markets Service as we continue to promote and grow our markets, which are over 800 year old, and prepare for the transition to Birmingham’s Smithfield Development which heralds a new market at it’s heart.  We are looking for someone who is both a strategic and local thinker, understands the national and local retail sector challenges we face and can research and deliver solutions, including developing new policies, to help respond to these challenges.You will have experience of delivering a frontline customer service, developing and maintaining positive relationships internally and with external partners and be able to produce reports and other material to a very high standard, alongside this possess strong business/data analytical skills.This is fast moving service area where there are daily issues to be resolved, as can be expected when managing three markets with a total of over 300 trading units, open six days a week (Monday to Saturday). The successful candidate will need to be flexible and able to work across the function. This includes being on the market floor, managing  projects, budgets, leases, licences, and performance reporting.You will also have experience of successfully managing people and projects, producing, delivering reports and presentations and be able to work under your own initiativeTo manage, direct and develop the Bull Ring Markets Service including all markets sites and staff to ensure that all business needs are met and that the expectations of tenants are fulfilled. To manage the procurement and delivery of all contracts and budgets in line with council policy.Experience of:leading, motivating and managing services with multi-disciplinary teams to achieve significant, sustainable improvements and positive outcomes through internal and external partnershipsleading the delivery of strategic objectives and policies through effective service planningleading negotiations with traders on fees, charges and service agreements, including leasesdelivering major workforce and operational change;managing conflict in a complex adversarial environmentmanaging significant budgetsmanaging procurement and delivery of services and contractsdelivering services in a complex, high pressure environmentmanaging a large multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, unionised workforcea working knowledge of markets and health and safety legislation. The Markets Service operates 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday) from 5am to 8pm.Hours of work:Will be required to work 5/7 working pattern as required.Hours will need to be flexible to accommodate service delivery and hours may need to be worked at weekends and bank holidays.Will operate under the corporate FLEX system.Ref: BCC002383We welcome applications from people with caring responsibilities and flexible working options will be considered.Please give particular attention to the essential criteria for the role as outlined on the Person Specification when making your application.For further information please contact Sajeela Naseer, Head of Licensing, Markets, Registration Services and Private Sector Housing; E-mail:sajeela.naseer@birmingham.gov.uk; Tel: 07766924955 or visit this link – https://www.wmjobs.co.uk/job/102176/operations-manager-markets

In the last few months NABMA has sought to raise the profile of benchmarking Markets. Working with APSE, the professional organisation for benchmarking various Council services, we have provided a framework for the Markets of our District and Unitary Council members to participate in this important service. While we have a small and dedicated core of members involved we need more to make the service meaningful. In order to provide information, understand the resource requirement and deal with any concerns we have decided to hold a virtual workshop on Friday 12th November at 10am. This will be facilitated by APSE and hopefully will lead to greater support for benchmarking in 2022. I would encourage everyone with an interest in benchmarking to attend this workshop. Further details will be provided shortly but you can register now for this important event. Please send your expression of interest to info@nabma.com

NABMA has previously made members aware of the newly issued government guidance on how local authorities can recover lost income. This guidance outlines what is in and out of the parameters of the scheme. Efforts to get definitive clarification from the government is proving very difficult but I did write out recently to advise that Harborough had been successful in claiming for the loss of all casual rents as Harborough successfully argued that these charges are of a transactional nature. NABMA would appreciate comments from any other member who has sought to recover loss income. As indicated previously the guidance states that rents are not covered by the compensation provisions so we are expecting that much of the loss income compensation will not benefit Markets but given the success of Harborough there might be scope for other charges to be eligible. NABMA feels there might be greater scope for Markets operating under trading standards legislation to benefit from the scheme as their charges do not generally have a commercial basis and can be more readily regarded as being a transactional activity. Again NABMA has gone back to government to seek clarification. It would be very helpful to particularly hear from our London colleagues on this issue.