THE future of markets on Anglesey is under the microscope after councillors raised concerns about their effect on other traders.
Planning and environment portfolio holder Councillor John Chorlton told a council executive committee meeting on Tuesday that some shop owners believed that the markets took away trade from them.
“We have to assess what is the value of a market,” he said. “Does it attract people who spend their money in the shops or do they go to the market and disappear after?”
The committee accepted a recommendation by the head of services and planning to keep rates for Holyhead, Amlwch and Llangefni markets at £5 or £10 depending on the size of the stall.
Cllr Chorlton said that some traders in his Kingsland ward thought that it was unfair that they had to pay full business rates while stall holders paid a smaller fee.
“We have to be fair to everyone and ensure that both shops and markets are profitable,” he said.
The executive also agreed to take full control of Amlwch market from the town council and that a £60,000 underspend in the 2009 Trading Standards revenue budget should be used to cover the expected loss of income from reduced market fees.
The report stated that the markets were running at a loss and that this was unsustainable.
However, it added that Anglesey Council has a responsibility to maintain the markets for current and future stall holders.
Councillor Robert G. Parry, of Trewalchmai, told the meeting that he agreed to the recommendation in the short term but that drastic measures might have to be taken if the markets’ financial problems did not improve.
The council accepted a recommendation to explore other funding options over the next six months.