I am writing to express my concerns regarding your decision to extend the 2021 Bath Christmas Market.

At the recent Cabinet meeting (23rd June) there was a discussion about the 2021 Christmas Market. Your Cabinet colleagues highlighted the potential financial risk and liability with the market this year as well as the more limited customer reach. International visitors have traditionally made up a significant proportion of potential customers, but the current Covid travel restrictions may well mean those numbers are significantly less, and saving on international advertising appeared sensible. A reduction in stall numbers, from 205 to 161 seemed similarly prudent in these uncertain times. Following the discussion, Cabinet agreed to hold an 18 day market.

However, within a week, there was an announcement that the market was to be extended from 18 days to 25 days, that the decision was made under Rule 15, so cannot be ‘called in’ and that you had made the decision alone, casting aside the decision of your Cabinet. Your decision seems to fly counter to the Cabinet discussions and is certainly not an example of a ‘transparent’ administration.

Please can you outline why this decision was taken in the way it it was taken? What changed between 23 June when Cabinet agreed an 18 day market and 30 June when you alone, and behind closed doors, agreed to extend it to 25 days? Also, what account has been taken of:

# Public health advice.

# the stated view of the Cabinet Member for Resources that “it is impossible to predict what will happen over the next five to six months and so the decision to proceed has to be tempered with caution and realism. On the balance of probabilities, I have concluded that it will be possible to hold the market this year but I have had to acknowledge that this may create an unrecoverable financial risk for the Council. The report sets out how these risks will be managed and I am satisfied that measures are in place if it should it be necessary to cancel which I hope sincerely it will not be”

# Consultation with local residents, who have in years past found the 18 day Christmas Market difficult and are likely to find a 25 day market even more so.

# Consultation with traders – both the potential stall holders, who attend a number of Christmas markets to maximise their potential customer base and are unlikely to welcome 25 days in the same place, and also permanent retailers, who will have their planned Christmas schedule disrupted.

I’m sure that there is a discussion and consultation to be had about an extended and improved Christmas market, but for you alone to arbitrarily impose a new schedule in 2021 (of all years), for the decision to be taken behind closed doors and without a full financial risk assessment seems foolhardy, to put it politely.

Yours sincerely

Robin

Robin Moss

B&NES Cllr, Wesfield Ward

Leader, Labour Group