Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveals underspend

The Good Growth fund appears to have been allocated to someplace else without consultation

Newham Council’s failure with the “co-create” process saw £3million+ of public funds (wasted on a website that nobody can navigate properly) resulted in hefty payments to private consultants, and a failure to consult traders and shoppers at Queen’s Market properly. It appears that traders and well-meaning citizens who have had to endure the arduous co-create process, struggling through endless (boring) online meetings have been further ignored – SORRY PEOPLE, LOOKS LIKE THERE’S NO NEW FLOORING FOR QUEEN’S MARKET – so much for a new kind of citizenship.

After months and years of what was to be meaningful dialogue, it appears Newham Council has simply co-created the pigeon netting.

_{Photo above: the “co create” process has resulted in new pigeon netting, designed to keep pigeons out – hang on, is that a family of pigeons we see inside the netting?}

The lack of thoughtful understanding, imagination, willpower or care for the borough’s assets by the Council has meant an underspend of over £1million that was secured to improve Queen’s Market, a grant given by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Mayor of London’s office under the Good Growth fund.

A sitting Councillor recently stated the following: “Following weeks of research and negotiation a solution was found. Newham Council was able to obtain £700,000 from the GLA’s Good Growth Fund which was to be returned as it wasn’t required by the Council’s Queen’s Market scheme for which it was previously destined.” (Source: Newham 65 blog. 8 April 2024)

SO it appears that Newham Council, Newham’s Mayor, GLA member and certain opportunistic Councillors have reallocated Queen’s Market’s budget to another recent embarrassment for the Council – to Stratford Market Village, a semi-privatised entity. For those who don’t know, Stratford Market Village (formally Inshops located inside Stratford Centre) was closed on January 10th where traders were forced to vacate with just 1 hour’s notice: traders say fresh goods and meat were left rotting inside of storage. This follows on from historic handovers of public property to private companies from Stratford Centre, Groupe Geraud UK, Stratford Market Properties Limited and Unex Group: the process of rampant privatisation started by Newham Council has meant the traders were left with next to no safeguards in their trading contracts.

While Friends of Queen’s Market support the traders and plight of Stratford’s Market Village traders, we think the lack of transparency and DECISIONS BEING MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS has meant that Queen’s Market has been left short-changed: it’s believed that £700k from the Good Growth fund has been reallocated without consultation, and is a “kick in the teeth” of those residents and traders who took part in the co create process that was to deliver better quality flooring and other improvements at Queen’s Market.

FoQM know that Queen’s Market makes profits that pay for local jobs eg. look at the huge number of market inspectors, and Queen’s often subsidises other street markets in the borough, but here is a classic example of Newham Council repackaging its failures as a success.

_{Images above (2): Flyers from the Stratford Market Village campaign go to explain a non-existent Olympics Legacy in Stratford and a land grab ie. privatisation of public land for private developers who are “making a killing” as locals live in adverse poverty and neglect by their own public servants, paid for by their collective taxes.}

_{Photo above: QUICK TO TAKE THE CREDIT. Traders at Stratford’s Market Village were unsure of who to thank for the reopening of their businesses as not everyone was told that the money was coming from the Queen’s Market Good Growth budget.}

Through Citizens Assemblies local people were to co-create something, but the process was accused of being overly complicated and excluded local people. Recently this was repackaged under the new banner of “People Powered Places” – same charade, different guise.

_{Photo above: disempowered-looking Stratford Market Village traders who have experienced major disruptions to their family businesses during a cost-of-living crisis, while Newham Council continues to toy around with public finances – that’s our collective taxes they’re playing with!}

While Newham Council repackages its failures as a success, its Queen’s Market they have forgotten to thank.

Olympics “Legacy” means closure of local businesses

Newham Council-backed private enterprises have once again demonstrated a preference for enriching the affluent over supporting local family-owned businesses. The beloved Market Village, situated within the Stratford Centre, abruptly closed, leaving traders in financial ruin, with only one hour’s notice!

Local shopkeepers were left dismayed as their livelihoods and family enterprises were seemingly disregarded by Newham Council, who we are told had initially leased the land where Stratford Centre stands to private entities. Later, Groupe Geraud (GeraudUK) took control of the indoor market stalls within the Market Village (formerly Inshops). Then Stratford Markets Properties Limited took control, and now it turns out that the poor traders have to negotiate with Unex – what a winding fiasco!

Despite the bold claims made by the Geraud UK group on their website, their ability to manage a small shop in the East End of London came into question.

One resident expressed their disappointment, stating, “It’s one of the few places I frequent in the centre because of its focus on local people and small businesses. There are East End community cafes, not just faceless chain stores. I used to go for my (Chinese) curried chips, buy books in the African shops, household items and my weekly supply of fruit and meat. The traders were always friendly. The closure of Market Village has made Stratford Centre increasingly dull, and I’ll be reducing my shopping there.”

For further details, read the Newham Recorder story here: https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/24046578.stratford-centre-confirms-market-village-set-close/

ITV coverage: https://www.itv.com/news/london/2024-01-19/stratford-market-traders-shut-out-of-their-businesses

Time Out: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/this-popular-indoor-market-in-east-london-has-been-forced-to-close-011724

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68007233

To find out more about Geraud UK or to make a complaint, visit their (slick) website at:

https://www.groupegeraud.co.uk/

Be warned! Privatised entities give the impression that traders are safe, but the recent appalling mistreatment of traders at Stratford’s Market Village proves that any kind of privatisation means that responsibility will be passed down to others, and soon traders will be left with next to no rights.

We are told by traders that certain local Councillors have been listening to the traders and trying to help but have been left with nowhere to turn. Where the land is private, no safety is guaranteed, as the big boys make the cash for themselves at the expense of the small traders. If you want to hear the latest on how the Council has responded during this forced displacement, email sabia.kamali@newham.gov.uk

You can sign the community’s petition here: chng.it/5zrdNTCn

Some kind of OLYMPICS LEGACY we have in Newham!

^{Images (above): a 2-paged letter from the Mayor of Newham that make contradictory statements including that it’s in their “…interest is to protect the livelihoods of local traders…” – well, not for Queen’s Market where we’ve been given just 2 options (not voted for by us), both include unaffordable luxury flats and demolition of the market !}

Disruption begins: traders and shoppers kept in the dark over scope of works

Happy New Year – but sadly not for us here in Newham!

It appears that the Good Growth funds that were due to improve the market after decades of neglect and managed decline are finally taking place in the market, but traders, shopkeepers and shoppers say that they have been kept in the dark about timelines and when works will be completed satisfactorily. Huge sections of the market have been cordoned off causing disruption, and hardly any workers are on site!

“This really impacts my stall because I cannot bring bulk goods into the market using the usual forklift. It makes our lives difficult, and that for the customers too” said a long time trader.

Another trader said to us: “Where it’s been blocked, there’s no clear signs to say that the market is open. It sends out the wrong message”

The Good Growth Fund from the Mayor of London’s office was secured to spend £millions on refurbishment to the market while Newham Council topped up the fund.

^{Photograph (above): a notice in the flashy new Markets Inspectors office appears to show a plan but with no dates or timelines. Will the works take months or years? We are none the wiser…}

Local people and traders want to see the following:

A full scope of works with clear timelines when works began and when it will end
Improved communication with shoppers, the traders and between decision-makers
Improved signage to signpost customers from the different entrances into the market
More space between walkways and areas that have been cordoned off
Free toilet access for all traders: presently the traders have to pay each time they use the new toilets that were paid for by our taxes via the Good Growth Fund
The main person/ public servant to contact: presently there’s a Green Street team, One Source (a corporate wing of the Council) and the Market Inspectors office (usually quite rude and aggressive), so people are left confused by all of these “pass the buck” style roles
Compensation for trade lost: traders are experiencing difficulties and loss of trade – will they be compensated fairly?

Newham Council say that they have spent around £3million on their Newham “co-create” website and other forms of public engagement but now local people are questioning whether the ideas given in the early stages have made it into these plans for the market, or was it all a waste of time-?

^{Photograph (above): public signs are barely visible while the Council’s real intention to demolish the market is laid bare}

Traders and shoppers have always said that they want no demolition and a robust roof, clean and decent floor and there was promise of underground electrics, but will these transpire into the latest plans – nobody knows!

For any budding investigative journalists out there, maybe you can find out more about how decisions are made inside Newham Council….

_{Gallery (above): sections of the market cordoned off with no clear signage or plans of what’s going on. Traders are squeezed while Newham Council continues to keep locals in the dark.}