Monday April 19, 2010

Dear collegue,

Thank you very much for your support over the last year. It was certainly a “big” year for the markets industry.

I have already written to you about some of the main Nabma achievements during the last twelve months and I am sure the next twelve months will be equally important. Set out below are the main priorities we have identified for 2010/2011 and you will see that we continue to offer both the promotion of markets on the national stage and individual services to members. One of the most popular services we offered last year was the free health check and half day consultancy. In fact demand far outstripped resources. If you would like to be included in this year’s programme please let me know as soon as possible. It is important that if you register an interest you do complete the health check prior to the consultant’s visit and also you identify the issues that need to be addressed.
 

NABMA Priorities 2010/2011

1. To support the work of the CLG Working Group which will raise the profile of markets and provide resources to markets in terms of good practice, management models and business support

2. To provide our members with support to operate their markets in an effective way by the provision of health checks, “free” half day consultancy and bespoke consultancy services via Nabma Consultancy Services

3. To provide a forum for members to exchange views on a range of market matters through a web based forum and the circulation of member information requests that will be translated in to information notes for members available via the website.

4. To provide opportunities for networking, sharing of good practice and dissemination of information through the provision of market forums, seminars, conferences and events.

5. To provide training by the provision of specialist market courses and the development of a recognised qualification for market officers.

6. To strengthen links with other markets organisation through the Retail Markets Alliance and also support the development of the London Markets Association

7. To develop the monthly newsletter as a means of providing updated information on market matters.

8. To develop new partnership arrangements with organisations and potential sponsors that have a direct, or potential interest, in markets.

Retail Markets Forum

The next meeting of the Retail Forum is to be held at Spalding on the 29th April. This will be a good chance for members to catch up on what is happening in the markets industry and we’re also intending to introduce a new element to the proceedings when we will have a Markets Panel dealing with issues that have been raised by members over the next few months. Hopefully this interactive discussion will provide some helpful pointers on issues that are relevant to Market Managers.

NABMA Conference 2010 – Market Champions

NAMBA’s Conference will be held this year at Buxton from the 12th – 14th September. We are taking as our theme Market Champions building on the recognition given by both Government and LGA in recent months by designating Market Champions. We will be looking at the way in which we can develop more Market Champions but also looking at individual Authorities that have undertaken redevelopment or pioneered innovative schemes with regard to their markets. This year’s Conference will be held in collaboration with Government and we have a commitment from CLG that they will be supporting the Conference Agenda with the help that the new Government Minister will be in attendance and there will also be at least one Policy announcement made at Conference. Full details of the Conference Agenda will be coming out shortly but please make sure that you are there to support the leading Markets Conference of 2010.

Local Councils Forum

Local Councils make up an important element of the NABMA membership and the Annual Local Councils Forum will be held this year at Shrewsbury on the 4th June 2010. There will be an opportunity to visit Shrewsbury Market and also we are working in collaboration with the National Association of Local Councils to promote greater involvement of Local Councils in markets provision. There is no charge for this event and we hope that there will be good support from our Local Council Members and the wider Local Councils Community. Full details of the event can be obtained via the NABMA website.

Growing Your Markets

This initiative was launched by Rosie Winterton on the 15th March at Mansfield. Copies of the leaflet are being distributed to all NABMA members. Some 35,000 leaflets are being circulated to NMTF members and we hope that we can get in touch with the vast majority of market traders in this way. The Growing Markets initiative does provide some helpful pointers to traders in getting additional support for their businesses.
Further details about the Growing Markets initiative can be found at www.nabma.com.