Wrthi'n llwytho
Cytunodd i ohirio adroddiad Cynllun Cyflawni Porth Wrecsam ac i ohirio cais Dinas Diwylliant, ac i gael adroddiad Ty Pawb ar 5 Tachwedd. Gofynnodd yr aelodau am fanylion ariannol llawnach ac adborth gan fasnachwyr yn y diweddariad nesaf.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mike Davies, John McCusker, Paul Rogers and Ross Shepherd. Councillor Andy Williams was absent.
AGREED: That the minutes held on 3 September 2025 be signed as a correct record.
Members were reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at this meeting. The following declarations were made:- Agenda Item 13 - Work Programme Councillor Gary Brown– Personal and non-Prejudicial – the Councillor held a professional role within the counterpart partnership, which had a tangential link in both the Work Programme and the Plan for Neighbourhoods item. This constituted a personal, non-prejudicial interest. The Councillor remained in the meeting taking part in the discussion and voting thereon.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED: (i) That a report on the Ty Pawb Phase 2 tendering process, including details of the grant submission and entrance refurbishment, be scheduled for the next meeting on 5th November. (ii) That the Committee recommends the deferral of the consideration of the Plan for Neighbourhoods report by the Executive Board to enable pre-decision scrutiny by this Committee on 5th November. (iii) That the Anti-Poverty Strategy and Economic Development Strategy be scheduled for consideration in the new year, with the Chair to review scheduling and report back at the next meeting. (iv) That the Committee note the deferral of the City of Culture Bid to 5th November 2025 to enable attendance of the key officer. (i) That theWrexham Gateway Delivery Plan Report be deferred to 3rd December 2025, due to delays in land acquisition and planning. (ii) That, subject to the above changes, the Work Programme at Appendix 1 be agreed.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Gary Brown: Buddiant personol
Roedd y Cynghorydd Gary Brown yn gweithio mewn rôl broffesiynol gyda'r bartneriaeth gyfatebol, a oedd â chysylltiad anuniongyrchol â'r rhaglen waith ac eitem y Cynllun ar gyfer Cymdogaethau. Mae'r cofnod yn ei nodi fel buddiant personol nad yw'n rhagfarnllyd.
Dyw'r cyngor ddim wedi cofnodi presenoldeb ar gyfer y cyfarfod hwn.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.
Members declarations of interest in relation to this item are set out in Minute 12 above). The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted report COGC/79/25, inviting members to consider the revised Work Programme for the Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee, as set out in Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator introduced the report, confirming that all information agreed at the September meeting had been incorporated into the Work Programme. The following was highlighted: a) The Ambition Board confirmed that a visit to the OpTIC Technology Centre could be arranged, with final date details still to be agreed. b) An updated Project List from the Ambition Board had been circulated to Members of the Committee. c) A request from Officers to defer the Wrexham Gateway Delivery Plan report to 3rd December 2025 due to land acquisition and planning delays. d) The Chair had agreed that the City of Culture Bid, which was scheduled on the agenda for this meeting, be deferred to 5th November 2025 to enable attendance of the key officer. The following was discussed:- · In response to concerns raised, Officers explained that, although the Ty Pawb grant bid was submitted in July, confirmation came in September. This was the reason, the Phase 2 tender was omitted from the Ty Pawb progress report which had been submitted to this Committee in July. · A proposal was made for the committee to review the Plan for Neighbourhoods prior to consideration by the Executive Board. · Members raised concerns about the absence of the Anti-Poverty Strategy in the Work Programme timetable, noting that the children’s element lacked sufficient resources. AGREED: (i) That a report on the Ty Pawb Phase 2 tendering process, including details of the grant submission and entrance refurbishment, be scheduled for the next meeting on 5th November. (ii) That the Committee recommends the deferral of the consideration of the Plan for Neighbourhoods report by the Executive Board to enable pre-decision scrutiny by this Committee on 5th November. (iii) That the Anti-Poverty Strategy and Economic Development Strategy be scheduled for consideration in the new year, with the Chair to review scheduling and report back at the next meeting. (iv) That the Committee note the deferral of the City of Culture Bid to 5th November 2025 to enable attendance of the key officer. (i) That theWrexham Gateway Delivery Plan Report be deferred to 3rd December 2025, due to delays in land acquisition and planning. (ii) That, subject to the above changes, the Work Programme at Appendix 1 be agreed.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED:- (i) That the Chief Officer Economy and Planning to include the following information in the next progress update on the Markets: · Detailed income and expenditure for the Markets. · Occupancy levels of paid storage and clarification regarding the lack of available storage. · Feedback from Market Traders on the refurbishment of the Markets, with all traders invited to comment. (ii) That the Chief Officer Finance & ICT, Chief Officer Housing, and Chief Officer Governance & Customers to consider introducing a payment plan for the asset and legal fees associated with the initial start-up costs of a Market Stall. (iii) That the details of the outturn figures for the service charges for 2023/24 and 2024/25, including any reimbursements to traders and the impact on the Markets budget, to be circulated to Members when available.
The Chief Officer for Economy and Planning submitted report COEP/37/25 to provide a progress update on the newly refurbished Butchers and General Markets and the Monday Market. The Lead Member for Economy, Business and Tourism introduced the update, joined by Ian Jones, Interim Chief Officer for Planning and Public Protection, and Amy Wainscott, City Centre Manager. It was highlighted that: a) This was the first scrutiny report since the closure of the two Victorian markets in July 2023, ahead of their planned reopening in November 2024. b) The Grade II listed buildings underwent extensive refurbishment funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government, and Wrexham Council. Renovation included the previously unused upper floors of the Butchers Market, now marketed as a potential restaurant. c) Occupancy rates had increased from 53% to 64% in the General Market and from 21% to 70% in the Butchers Market, supported by additional rental units and ongoing marketing. During discussion the following points were raised: · Members raised concerns about outstanding snagging issues, including roof leaks, uneven flooring, and lack of refrigeration facilities. Officers confirmed that these issues were being addressed within the contractor’s 12-month defect period. · Despite outreach to 30 local butchers, none had taken up a stall, likely due to lack of preparation space and walk-in chillers. Units were designed as flexible retail spaces, with equipment installation left to tenants. · Members queried the original budget allocation for butchery equipment and sought clarification on local media reports which had highlighted this issue. Officers advised that Installation costs for traditional butchery infrastructure were estimated at £30,000–£50,000. · A pop-up trader selling pre-packaged meat and pies showed early success recently, and discussions with alternative food businesses were ongoing. · Officers confirmed all stallholder applications were assessed for financial viability and business suitability. Pop-up stalls and short-term fairs were used to support new businesses and encourage long-term tenancy. · Limited storage was identified as a challenge. Additional paid space was available in the Butchers Market basement, but traders had to weigh affordability against need. Members requested clarification on the reasons for limited storage and occupancy levels of paid units. · Members requested more detailed financial reporting beyond the cash-limited budget. Officers agreed to provide full income and expenditure data once a complete 12-month cycle was available. · Members considered that the £400 legal fee to secure a stall was seen as a barrier. Officers advised that, as part of the council’s cost recovery policy, it must be paid in full. Traders were signposted to grant schemes such as the Shared Prosperity Fund. · Service charge arrangements were explained, including the current rate of £55.04 per square metre, which will remain in place until a full financial year of data is available. Officer s confirmed that the higher reported figure of £58 per square metre was based on historic data and that charges were being reviewed annually. Any overpayments would be reimbursed following assessment. · To improve stall visibility, a website update was underway to showcase available units. A Member suggested listing stalls on commercial platforms like Rightmove to attract new tenants. · Although a free trading period was introduced, stall numbers at the Monday Market had returned to previous levels. Officers acknowledged mixed outcomes and confirmed that promotional efforts remain ongoing. · The Monday Market free trading initiative cost around £1,000, covering bin collection and weekly electrician support. Officers advised that at least 10 stalls would need to be filled each week for the market to break even. · Members proposed relocating pop-up stalls into empty indoor units or trialling weekend trading to boost engagement. Officers advised that market days were typically fixed across towns, and altering Wrexham’s schedule could risk losing existing traders. · Footfall data indicated steady weekday activity in Wrexham City Centre, suggesting the issue may lie with the Monday market’s offer rather than public engagement. A member cited successful markets in Mold and Rhyl, challenging the narrative that public support for outdoor markets was lacking. · Members emphasised the need to evaluate whether the Monday market should continue at a financial loss or be adapted to meet current demand. · A task and finish group was proposed to explore best practices, though officers noted similar visits had already taken place during the previous Markets Task & Finish Group. · Members acknowledged that whilst the council could create the right environment, it could not control which traders chose to operate. Success depended on viability and public support. · Members raised concerns about market safety, occupancy levels, refrigeration in butcher units, and progress on the proposed restaurant. Officers confirmed that the flooring issues had been resolved and accessibility surveys had been completed in July. · The original butcher’s fridge was removed due to age and asbestos, and the redesigned unit was now slightly smaller following layout changes. Tenants were responsible for installing their own refrigeration equipment. · Positive feedback was shared about the newly refurbished restaurant space above the market, with hopes it would enhance Wrexham’s food scene. Officers clarified that no Michelin-starred restaurant was ever formally proposed, though the upper unit had been renovated to a high standard and was actively being marketed. · Antisocial behaviour was reported as a widespread issue impacting towns and cities across the region. Wrexham’s city centre now offered a broader mix of dining options, attracting more visitors for meals rather than solely nightlife. · Concerns about Central Arcade were acknowledged, but as it was privately owned, responsibility lay with the property owner and complaints were referred to appropriate agencies. · Concerns were raised about reported rat sightings near the market, with officers advising that any incidents should be promptly reported to the appropriate council teams. · A Member reported that concerns had been raised by full-fee traders about the use of low-cost pop-up stalls. Members emphasised the need for fairness, while officers explained that pop-ups help new businesses test viability before committing to long-term tenancy. · Appreciation was expressed for officers’ efforts and their commitment to creating the right conditions for traders. · Members suggested that footfall generated by pop-up stalls could benefit all traders and should be considered as part of a wider strategy. AGREED:- (i) That the Chief Officer Economy and Planning to include the following information in the next progress update on the Markets: · Detailed income and expenditure for the Markets. · Occupancy levels of paid storage and clarification regarding the lack of available storage. · Feedback from Market Traders on the refurbishment of the Markets, with all traders invited to comment. (ii) That the Chief Officer Finance & ICT, Chief Officer Housing, and Chief Officer Governance & Customers to consider introducing a payment plan for the asset and legal fees associated with the initial start-up costs of a Market Stall. (iii) That the details of the outturn figures for the service charges for 2023/24 and 2024/25, including any reimbursements to traders and the impact on the Markets budget, to be circulated to Members when available.