Lib Dem Candidate asks Minister to act over Ely Market (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dem Candidate asks Minister to act over Ely Market

February 23, 2010 11:44 AM

Jonathan Chatfield the Liberal Democrat General Election candidate for South East Cambridgeshire has written to the local government minister Rosie Winterton MP asking her to intervene in East Cambridgeshire district council's decision not to supply stalls for Ely market traders.

Jonathan Chatfield is backing local Lib Dem councillors, stall holders and local residents in their efforts to over turn the decision of the Conservative controlled council.

He is also calling on South East Cambridgeshire's current MP Conservative James Plaice to publicly support a Liberal Democrat motion to East Cambridgeshire's full council, to apply pressure on his Conservative colleagues to change their minds.

Jonathan will be joining protesters outside the district council offices before the meeting of the full council on February 23 to urge Conservative councillors to support the following motion being proposed by Liberal Democrat council leader Gareth Wilson:

"This Council supports Ely Market as a vibrant, profitable and successful attraction for visitors and shoppers to the City of Ely.

We recognise the concerns of thousands of petitioners who are worried about the proposals to reduce the support to the traders.

We therefore instruct the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate how the market could be strengthened, improved and expanded with full consultation with the market traders.

During this investigation period, no changes should be made to the current terms and conditions of the market traders and market stalls should continue to be provided.

The recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be reported to the Community Services Committee".

Jonathan said:

"It is clear from the stall holders themselves that the future of Ely market is now in doubt.

"It is bizarre that the Conservative run council wants to put the market in jeopardy when last year the market traders contributed £135,000 to council coffers and the council made a £25,000 profit from them.

"I hope Conservative councillors will see sense and back the Lib Dem motion. If not, then I hope the government minister will intervene to make the council consult traders, shoppers and residents."