Wirral Council has been accused of being “scrooge-like” over a new proposal for markets across the borough.
Over 60 residents, community groups, and churches have raised concerns about a draft Wirral Council policy that would see markets regulated across the Wirral. The policy would seek to introduce licences for large-scale events as well as those within six miles of council-owned Birkenhead Market.
The council said this new proposal is to help outline its market policy and avoid appeals over future decisions made. The six-mile zone around Birkenhead Market is proposed to support the market’s traders, according to a council report.
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The draft Market Rights Policy has been recommended for approval saying “it would provide transparency, consistency when considering applications to hold markets.”
The report says benefits include protecting Birkenhead Market traders, give the council the ability to regulate markets, provide income for the council through license use, and give local councillors input into market applications.
Any licence fee will be based on size, how often a market is held and its potential commercial impact. The draft policy states that one-off events such as book fairs and cake sales are not affected.
It’s being opposed by a number of groups arguing it would harm charities, churches and community groups.
One resident, a member of a local church, accused the council becoming a “Scrooge,” adding “I find it utterly disgusting that it is considered a threat to the Market in Birkenhead that a Church/Group some miles away holding a Christmas or Summer Fayre for the purpose of raising funds to help a charity.”
Others argued community events in the area would not compete or impact Birkenhead Market. One resident said: “Birkenhead Market is sad, run down and has far too many empty units. You will not improve the market by denying license or enforcing prohibitive fees to other small markets across the borough.”
A member from St Michael’s and All Angels Churches said this would affect their ability to raise money “badly needed to keep the church going” and said that if the church had to apply for a licence, “the community as a whole would suffer.”
The chair of the award-winning Wirral Farmers Market said that Birkenhead Market is a “shell of its former self” adding, “we feel that the proposed policy stifles economic development within Wirral and find that the draft proposal will stifle further economic development.
Under the proposed rules, events will not need to apply for a licence if it is held no more than six times a year, only lasts one day, has fewer than 20 stalls, and does not impact Birkenhead Market.
For events that do not meet this criteria, a Market Rights Licence would be required in Wirral before the event can take place with three options available.
The new policy will be debated by the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee at 6pm on September 27.
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