Agenda item

K Langley updated the committee on the Town Centre. The strategy was put in place in October 2014 and all the works in the centre are expected to be finished by March 2016. The department is working closely with Clean, Safe and Green to maintain the areas. The vacancy rates in the Town Centre have fallen from 22% to 13%. There is going to be a Saturday market in the Old Town hopefully starting in December. The Pavement Strategy will help to move and encourage shops to extend onto the streets.

Councillor Birnie said he was concerned about the Saturday market in the Old Town and was worried that it may cause problems for the existing market in the Town Centre.

J Doe said that the Old Town market will offer different specialised products to that of the current market. C Taylor added that it was focused on food and only there from 9am-12pm whereas the existing market is open all day. The aim is to encourage people up the Old Town and increase foot fall. K Langley also said that the markets will be owned by the same operator so it is not in their interests to have competitive markets.

Councillor Anderson said that Kings Langley have a very successful local produce market in the High Street and maybe a focus on local produce will help visitor numbers.

Councillor Hicks stated that the Pavement Strategy is quoted at raising £38,000 and was this in addition to the market income.

C Taylor said two contractors have seen the potential and have approached the Council about running the site and generating a steady stream of income. K Langley said that currently the income is about £10-15,000 and the Council struggle to find new audiences. The companies that have approached the Council already have the contacts needed to fill the space and have quoted an 80% occupancy rate with a trial to begin on 1^st April 2015.

Councillor Anderson asked what metrics had been used to review the Council's running of public events in the Old Town.  The previous organiser had been raising significant amounts of money for charities and community organisations, and what evidence was available to support the view that the Council was tapping into more income or investment.

C Taylor said that the team were currently working on the report for the recent Halloween event in the Old Town. She said that it was just as successful this year as last year. It is estimated that 4-5,000 people attended the event and in the future more security contractors may need to be brought in to ensure the event is safe and secure at all times. Next year, the task is to generate some income from the event.

K Langley said that currently, there is a small amount of income generated by the rides and the food stalls but this was nowhere near enough to cover the cost of the whole event.

Councillor Howard said that some residents have complained to her about the gradient of the footpath in some areas of the High Street and that it is too steep to walk on, especially when wet.

K Langley said that had not been reported to the team but will make sure it is looked into.

Councillor C Wyatt-Lowe took the opportunity to say how wonderful she felt the Old Town looked now all the works were complete and that the market was a great way of drawing people in.

Outcome

The Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the report.