29/4/2008

Local News in Fleet

Free parking for market traders withdrawn

A row has broken out over parking for traders at a weekly village market.

Stall holders at Hartley Wintney market have enjoyed free parking for four years but have been told they must now pay for it. They are refusing to do so and there are fears the popular Wednesday market could now fold.

Cllr Sara Kinnell, who represents the village on Hart District Council, raised the issue at last Thursday’s full council meeting.

She put forward a motion calling on the council to offer free parking for market traders.

Cllr Kinnell explained that when the market began four years ago, organisers agreed stall holders could park behind the cricket pavilion following an arrangement with the cricket club.

However, when the area was open, other drivers took advantage of the free parking and the area gradually began to look like a car park. There were fears cars could damage the oak trees by compacting the soil around their roots.

As a result several residents, backed by the village preser-vation society, sought to stop parking unless associated with the cricket club.

At a meeting in March it was agreed the market traders could park in the spaces outside The Cricketers pub and display permits allowing them to park for longer than the normal two hours.

However, Cllr Kinnell said that David Simpson, Hart District Council’s cabinet member for parking, is insistent that the stall holders must pay to park. Cllr Simpson says this is only fair as otherwise other areas are subsidising the village.

It means paying a daily rate of £3.50 per trader in the central car park, which is currently being paid for by the parish council to ensure the market continues, or £35 a year for a season ticket.

Cllr Kinnell said one of Cllr Simpson’s arguments is that traders have to pay for parking at the Fleet Saturday market.

However she argued that in the Fleet case the whole of Gurkha Square is taken over by a commercial, profit-making body which charges individual stall holders one fee.

Cllr Kinnell said: “Both Odiham and Hartley Wintney markets were established to provide wares which were not available in the High Street, promote the village and encourage visitors to use both the market and existing retail outlets and provide a regular social meeting point for parishioners.”

Cllr Kinnell said another of Cllr Simpson’s arguments is that the £35 per year charge only equates to 70p per week per trader.

She added: “This will only apply to two regular stall holders. Others visit with varying degrees of regularity, some no more than six times a year. Some stallholders’ income often doesn’t meet the stall fee set by Hart District Council.

“Local charities occasionally have stalls, which provide them with additional fund raising and publicity opportunities.

“These groups include the Royal British Legion, Mothers Union and Christian Aid.”

Cllr Kinnell said the £35 parking permit would put off such groups from using the market.

“The shops on the High Street have also reported that their income has increased on market days,” she added.

“All we are asking for is a permit to be produced, which would be held by the parish council, circulated on market days and collected up again at the end of the day.

“The traders should not and will not pay.

“Should the council decide that market traders must pay for parking, it is probable that the market will cease to operate.”

The motion was passed but it now has to go to cabinet as a recommendation from council. Cllr Kinnell said: “I am relieved that a majority of councillors voted with me on this one but we still have to get it through cabinet.

Cllr Simpson, who repre-sents Hartley Wintney on Hampshire County Council, told the Mail: “Obviously the economic and social wellbeing of the whole district is important.

“However, the question here is whether the rest of the district should be subsiding Hartley Wintney.

“We have 17 parish councils, along with Fleet and Church Crookham and they all jealously look at what each other gets out of the district and say we want that as well. The two other markets in the district at Fleet and Odiham don’t get free parking.”

Cllr Simpson pointed out that there was nothing to stop the Hartley Wintney market traders from dropping off their goods and then parking for free at the parish council offices.

He added: “This is a Hartley Wintney problem caused by Hartley Wintney people and the parish council has not once approached me about it.”

Cllr Simpson said he was glad the issue would now be debated in detail by the cabinet. He added: “I don’t like secret memos and secret discussions – I like things being done openly.”

First printed in: Fleet News and Mail