To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.
Minutes:
(Councillor Moyeed left the room for the duration of the deputation and for the entirety of the discussion on Item 12.)
The Chair invited Stuart McNamara to introduce his deputation which addressed concerns about the voices of the market traders and residents not being properly considered, as well as wider concerns about how the Council communicated and engaged with residents on regeneration programmes. He was accompanied by Stefania Alvarez and Javie Huxley.
Stuart McNamara thanked the OSC for accepting the deputation and praised the three months of evidence gathering by the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee for the scrutiny report on Wards Corner. He highlighted the following:
· Praised the scrutiny report and its findings, noting the traders had requested the Council carry out a scrutiny review on the matter.
· A meeting had been held with the Leader of the Council in 2018 to request a scrutiny review, the halting of any major decisions at the market until the review had been complete, and continuous engagement between the traders and the Council with ongoing dialogue. All three had been declined at that time.
· Traders at a Shepherds Bush market had won a case on appeal at the high court against a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).
· Critical of the Council’s Regeneration department and drew comparisons between situation at Wards Corner to the failed Haringey Development Vehicle scheme.
· Recognised a number of councillors had been supportive of the traders at Wards Corner but criticised the executive for indecision on the matter.
· Critical of the Section 106 and the Seven Sisters Market Trader Steering Group.
The Chair thanked Stuart McNamara for the deputation and invited Committee Members to ask questions. The deputation party provided the following responses:
· Considered the scrutiny report to be thorough and impartial with the recommendations being fully supported by the evidence gathered.
· Highlighted that the report was critical of the Council’s failure to monitor the Section 106.
· Queried why, given concerns had been raised surrounding the Seven Sisters Market Trader Steering Group in 2016, those remain unresolved.
· Noted the success of the Seven Sisters Market with its large number of traders and compared this to high streets, such as Wood Green, where there was a notable number of vacant properties.
· Praised the community asset of Wards Corner and claimed it provided what the local community needed.
· Regarding the Seven Sisters Market Trader Steering Group, it was noted this met 21 times with traders making repeated concerns about their distress at the situation but claimed the market operator used the Steering Group as a forum to denigrate the traders. It was claimed traders had put forward recommendations at the meetings, but these failed to progress, which resulted in the traders opting out of the Steering Group following a vote of no confidence in the process.
· Claimed the Council failed to monitor the Steering Group and failed its obligations to the traders under the Section 106 agreement.
· The deputation sought:
o independent round table discussions chaired by an individual outside of the Council. Those discussions should ensure all parties had equal say and be facilitated by the local MP and/or GLA assembly member.
o Proper consideration of the community plan should be given, and the building should be redeveloped, to be paid for by tax players;
o Removal of the market operator and for them to be subject to a thorough independent review;
o Disbandment and breaking up of the Council’s Regeneration Department;
o Proper consideration of the overall site, with affordable housing considered;
o Transparent running of the market with traders at its heart; and
o The Council to stop, what the deputation claimed, to be the persecution of the traders in the Latin Village.
The Chair thanked the party for their deputation and emphasised the Council’s scrutiny committees would always seek to support the community, wherever possible.
The OSC next considered Item 12 – Scrutiny Review of Wards Corner.