AMT Convention 2007

Workshops and study tours

Market Regeneration
Fast living, changes in consumer habits, the expansion of supermarkets, out of town shopping, the modernisation of farming practices and European legislation have all played a part in the declining role of our traditional markets. As the market in Newmarket is undergoing modernisation delegates were able to assess solutions for towns wishing to regenerate, re-site or reclaim their local markets.
click here for a presentation by Maria Bavetta on Tring Market Place
click here for a presentation by Philip Eden on Market Regeneration
click here for a presentation on Ely markets by Alison Callaby
click here for 'Markets in Market Towns' - A paper prepared for the Policy Working Group, Action for Market Towns

The City Regions Agenda
There is concern at the over-emphasis in Government policy on the core cities and their ‘city regions’, which are increasingly being seen as the functional areas on which to focus economic development, investment and activity.
This raises important questions for many small towns and rural settlements. This workshop illustrated that towns and cities are interdependent and explained how all settlements need to play a full part in the drive for sustainable economic development.
click here for a presentation by Martin Garratt, Director of Greater Cambridge Partnership
click here for a presentation by Chris Wade, Chief Executive of Action for Market Towns
click here for a report of the workshop
click here to download a report 'Looking beyond core cities'

Managing the Media
Active and campaigning market town partnerships need to develop a clear message and sell it clearly and appropriately to a targeted audience.
Delegates on this study tour were introduced to the media strategy of Newmarket’s new ‘Shop Local’ campaign
and discussed the essential elements of media campaigns.
The session was led by Bill Laws.
click here for Bill Laws' speakers notes

Housing as a Community Asset
Newmarket is a Beacon Town for Housing and, with large swathes of land under private ownership and a particular need for affordable homes for key workers connected to the racing industry, it has more housing issues than many towns. This study tour discussed potential solutions to these issues and launched ‘Housing, a Community Asset?’ a new research report commissioned by Action for Market Towns to help community partnerships develop housing as a community asset.
click here for a presentation by Steve Clare, Assistant Director (South), Development Trusts Association
click here for a presentation by by David Brettell of Hands-on-Help for Communities
click here to download the 'Housing as a Community Asset' report

Benchmarking
It is satisfying when community projects provide strong economic outputs; it pleases the funder and the stakeholder. However everything cannot be measured in pure financial terms.Philip Angier of Angier Griffin and Dennis Tallon of Iceni Partnership showed how to measure the environmental and social as well as the economic impact of projects. Catherine Hammant introduced the Welland Benchmarking Case Study.
click here for a presentation by Philip Angier and Dennis Tallon
click here for a presentation by Catherine Hammant

Going Green
We all know that by reducing carbon emissions we will make a real difference to the health of the planet but how
many of us actually make a concerted effort to change our environmentally unfriendly habits? As movers and shakers in
market towns delegates to this workshop can learn how to lead the way.
click here for a presentation by Jason Borthwick of Earthly Ideas
click here for a presentation by Vanessa Scott of Strattons Hotel
click here for a presentation by Carole Randall – Community Renewables Advisor, Renewables East
click here to download the report 'Waste Minimisation in the Food and Drink Industry'

Asset transfer and development
Charities and other community groups are to be encouraged to acquire under-utilised properties from local authorities and other public bodies, following the publication of the Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 15 May 2007.
click here for a presentation on Harwich Connexions
click here for a presentation The Wayland Centre

Business vitality
Market towns are increasingly reliant on independent businesses to attract visitors and serve local catchments, yet post offi ces, pubs, banks and small retail businesses are closing at a worrying rate.
This study tour offered a smorgasbord of solutions for communities wishing to improve the viability of small businesses in market towns, including:
* Base (Business and Social Enterprise) Initiative, an easily replicable project designed to improve essential skills in small businesses. Base was piloted in Newmarket, along with 15 other towns in the East of England.
* An overview of the report ‘The Role and Vitality of Secondary Shopping - A New Direction’. Jonathan Baldock, Head of Retail Planning at Donaldsons and the author of the report, discussed retail trends affecting small town centres.
click here to download a report on BASE
click here for the presentation by Jonathan Baldock