Lessons learned from the Christmas market, JSH is still learning at this late stage of his career? Options

[Strafin]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/lessons...hristmas-market

Mistakes happen, but this was just ridiculous. It's not good enough to have learnt from this, it shouldn't have happened in the first place!

[MontyPython]

NTC Lesson No.1

Look out for the fecking obvious!

This is the first in a series of lessons to try and get a bit of common sense to our local councils. Please note reading writing or replying to this post my result in you being labelled vexatious.

[Cognosco]

NTC Lesson No.1

Look out for the fecking obvious!

This is the first in a series of lessons to try and get a bit of common sense to our local councils. Please note reading writing or replying to this post my result in you being labelled vexatious.

Having to state that you will learn from this obviously states just how amateurish our local Town Council is in Contractual Procedures!

The park still looks like a tip where the market was held I assume this is now going to cost us poor ratepayers again?

Is it now not obvious we should look at the efficacy of our poorly run Town Council?
How much money will it cost us before ratepayers start to complain in large numbers?
Oh yes I forgot you have to make official complaints to have any effect and the Council does not read this forum do they?

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

Dear Forum Members,

On a personal note, I am very keen that NTC learns from its past negative experiences so that it does not make the same mistakes and as such I am very keen to hear your constructive thoughts about the Xmas Market and what you perceive the strengths as well as the weaknesses were?

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

[Andy Capp]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/lessons...hristmas-market

Mistakes happen, but this was just ridiculous. It's not good enough to have learnt from this, it shouldn't have happened in the first place!

Agreed. It is not like Newbury has not staged anything in the park before. I too think this reflects badly on the town council's competence.

[Cognosco]

Dear Forum Members,

On a personal note, I am very keen that NTC learns from its past negative experiences so that it does not make the same mistakes and as such I am very keen to hear your constructive thoughts about the Xmas Market and what you perceive the strengths as well as the weaknesses were?

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

Ruwan

Nothing positive comes to mind but plenty of negatives.

Commercial Enterprises should not be subsidised by ratepayers.
The site for the Market was in the totally wrong place.
The site was poorly thought out and not enough space for the market.
Disappointing merchandise and very overpriced.

[On the edge]

Positive
We now know
- that NTC does not have the skills necessary to manage such events.
- small scale fairs don't increase footfall, only enhance experiences

Negative
- failed to heed the clear warning signs when the promotors refused to pay rent.
- poor management of the set up reflected very badly on the event itself

The event was a 'top down' imposition; it was not a market lead demand. In short,mr hide responsible did not put themselves in the customers shoes.

[Turin Machine]

I loved the bit about the "residue from the animals" does this mean they too recognise Bull**** when they see it! ironic really.

[Simon Kirby]

I don't see the failure or otherwise of the market to be an issue for NTC. It wasn't an NTC event and it wasn't something that our councillors were involved in at all. It was a simple commercial letting of the park.

The questions for the town council are:

Should the council actually be letting our park to commercial enterprises? It is after all our park, and while it's let we can't use it as a park. Letting the council chamber out for parties is fair enough if it isn't going to be used for a civic function at the time, but the Park isn't like that.

Why was a simple commercial letting mismanaged so badly? The rent for the letting should have been £3,700, so on whose authority was it reduced to £2,500 and why? Then waiving the rent altogether was absurd. It would now appear that we're saddled with a clean-up bill too.

I would still like to hear specifically what the council think went wrong, and what specifically it has done about preventing that mismanagement from happening again. A foobar is excusable as mistakes happen, but this was a snafu, and the council needs to root-out what it is that keeps going wrong.

[On the edge]

It would appear that the CEO has some serious explaining to do. Certainly as it is now clear there will be a cost in putting the park to rights.

There was a very strong view that 'forgoing the fee' actually cost the town nothing!

[Cognosco]

It would appear that the CEO has some serious explaining to do. Certainly as it is now clear there will be a cost in putting the park to rights.

There was a very strong view that 'forgoing the fee' actually cost the town nothing!

I hope they don't decide to take more legal advice in recovering costs?
It may turn out to be another Viccy Park fiasco and two years and thousands £s later still no answers.

Just have to put our hands in our pockets again which it appears is normal with our Town Council. If they can't project manage a simple Park letting without losing taxpayer money then the sooner they are disbanded the better.

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

I don't see the failure or otherwise of the market to be an issue for NTC. It wasn't an NTC event and it wasn't something that our councillors were involved in at all. It was a simple commercial letting of the park.

Simon,

If this event was nothing to do with the Council, then I would like to know why did I have spent a considerable amount of time dealing with the problems that arose as a result of the Xmas Market?

NTC has much to learn from this experience and I am keen to hear the Forum members views which will certainly influence my thinking.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

[motormad]

One for discussion at the next newt i think.

[nerc]

There is already another Christmas Market planned for Newbury.
I assume that NTC and the BID are behind this and have learned by their mistakes already.

[Biker1]

I would have thought the obvious location for the next Christmas Market would be the Market Place?
Most other Christmas markets I have visited are located in or near the town / city centre, not in a grass park!

[Simon Kirby]

Simon,

If this event was nothing to do with the Council, then I would like to know why did I have spent a considerable amount of time dealing with the problems that arose as a result of the Xmas Market?

NTC has much to learn from this experience and I am keen to hear the Forum members views which will certainly influence my thinking.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

You were obliged to become involved because your adminstration appear to have messed up what should have been a simple matter of either letting on satisfactory terms or not letting at all. Despe the market claiming partnership with the council the council never resolved to be party to the market, the decision to host the market, like the decision to waive the booking fee, were as far as i can see taken by your administration on its own recognizance. I think you need to look at how that process worked because it involved the council in a lot of hassle it didn't need.

[Strafin]

All the council had to do was let the park and they messed it up royally. Any decisions about where it was held should have been taken by the company organising it and maybe the bid.

[NWNREADER]

I would have thought the obvious location for the next Christmas Market would be the Market Place?
Most other Christmas markets I have visited are located in or near the town / city centre, not in a grass park!

The adverts are already out - will be Northbrook St, which is why the power points have to go in. The Organiser is advertising 'electricity included'.....

[Simon Kirby]

The adverts are already out - will be Northbrook St, which is why the power points have to go in. The Organiser is advertising 'electricity included'.....

That's a bummer for the charter market then who won't be able to use Northbrook Street for the duration of the christmas market, especially when we paid for those power points on the pretext of supporting the charter market.

And I agree, the market square looks like the obvious place to host a christmas market.

[Andy Capp]

No-one gives a toss for the chartered market anyway, whether it is the punters or the council.