Monday August 23, 2010

Dear colleague,

Nabma Annual Conference

This is probably your last chance to register for the conference either as a full delegate or as a day delegate. The programme for this years conference is full of important issues. Anyone with an interest in markets needs to be at Buxton. Not only will we have Andrew Stunell, CLG Minister responsible for Markets, launching the results of work done on three projects for the markets industry. We will also have important announcements about professionalising markets management, providing a support mechanism for market managers and looking again at the benefits of benchmarking. This will be coupled with an opportunity to meet with valuation staff about the proposed revaluation of many of our market halls, hearing about developments in a number of member authorities particularly highlighting markets that can really be regarded as “champions” in their particular areas. Obviously we would like to see you at Buxton for the whole conference but if time or resources do not permit then please come as a day delegate on either Monday or Tuesday or both. You can get details of the conference programme from the Nabma website. Let’s make Buxton 2010 an event to remember.

Rating of Market Halls

Nabma has kept members up to date with proposals for the rating assessment of a large number of market halls. Under proposals stalls in the market halls will be rated separately. It is intended that the new assessments will be implemented in the autumn and members have received detailed information from Nabma about how this will be approached and the potential repercussions that might come from backdating. Concern has been expressed about implementing this arrangement half way through a financial year and, after three years of apparent inactivity, it is difficult to understand why the Valuation Office is acting at this time and with such apparent speed. It is important that market officers make sure that the rating sections within their authority are kept in touch with these developments. On Tuesday morning of Nabma’s conference there will be a workshop by Valuation Officers to answer any queries. Make sure that you come prepared to raise issues.

Institute of Place Management

You will be aware that Nabma has been working over the last two years to try and establish a professional qualification for market officers. Finally we have secured our objective through a collaboration with the Institute of Place Management. There will be an announcement at Nabma’s conference about the launch of a Diploma in Market Management and we will be providing an opportunity for Nabma members to become members of the Institute and hopefully outlining ways in which this can be done with Nabma support. This promises to be one of the most exciting developments in our training programme.

A Plan For Markets

It is interesting that in recent weeks Nabma has received a number of queries from members about market rights and the most effective ways of securing markets rights protection. Nabma has already circulated to members a “Plan for Markets” in which details of a markets rights policy was set out. If any member is contemplating taking action under its market rights then it is vital that this is done against a policy framework. Anyone affected can see the criteria against which a decision is made. If you do not already have a markets rights policy then have a look at the information already circulated by Nabma. If you need a further copy please ask the office for details of a “Plan for Markets”.