Page 15 - MarketTimesJune2016
P. 15

  Market Times • June 2016
NMTF EGM & AGM REPORT
Widening NMTF membership has paid off, says Chief Executive
 BROADENING the NMTF membership by welcoming events and festival traders, street traders and mobile caterers had proved to be a worthwhile strategy, according to Chief Executive Joe Harrison in his 2015 annual report.
He said that it had resulted in a reduction in the fall-off of the membership rate by just over 1,200 members — 37 per cent less than in 2014.
“It is our intention to continue resulted in a considerable shrinking with this strategy as the outcomes of the previous year’s deficit.
of the survey undertaken for “The balance sheet does show a Mission For Markets suggested loss, but with the continuing good that these days over 20 per cent of work by our membership our membership work solely on department and field support staff these market-type events as we are optimistic that we will opposed to traditional markets,” he further improve our financial added. position by the end of 2016.”
This, coupled with the £10 To download the full report as a increase in membership pdf file, go to:
subscriptions from last July (the www.nmtf.co.uk/info/CEOreport first increase since July 2012) had 15.pdf
Joe Harrison Chief Executive
 NMTF to become incorporated — so branches are out and groups are in
THE NMTF is to become incorporated from July after delegates at the Extraordinary General Meeting held before the Annual General Meeting voted in favour of the change, with just one vote against.
For legal reasons the move will mean the end of branches, which will be replaced by groups, under a new arrangement to be settled
on by the board.
In a short video (view
at http://tinyurl.com/h6h97cp) explaining the proposed change, the NMTF’s Chief Executive Joe Harrison said the change in corporate status would have little impact on members. But it would mean the organisation would be registered with Companies House and it would get a company number. This would
help secure the best interest rates for its invested reserves and make it easier to bid for Government funding.
Joe said the move towards incorporation had been instigated by Executive Board members who were concerned that, without incorporation, they could be personally liable if the organisation got into financial difficulties.
Mike Riley (Stratford-upon- Avon branch) asked if incorporation would have VAT implications.
Joe said: “Our tax position will not change and there will be little difference in the way we
run our organisation.”
He said his biggest concern had
been the loss of branches, which were not compatible with corporate status.
“We came up with the idea of replacing branches with groups which can be run on a much more flexible basis. These days no one has a lot of time, young traders especially, and these are the people we need to attract.”
Joe said groups would be easier to form and less time-consuming. “The idea is not to lose local representation, but to make groups more user-friendly,” he added.
 Motion
Executive Board
That the NMTF becomes an incorporated body from the 1st July 2016.
Motion passed with 32 votes for and 1 against
 NMTF President sees light at the end of the tunnel
AFTER three years as President of the NMTF, Michael Nicholson told delegates at the Annual General Meeting that his visits to markets across the country and conversations with hundreds of traders had convinced him there was hope for the future.
“Trading is far from easy and sadly some markets are declining, but others are fighting back. So I do believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Michael said trader operated markets were a good option for the future, and he quoted the success of Redcar market, which had four traders when he first visited it.
“After a trader and long-time member took over its running it
now has 30 registered traders and a high of 39,” he said.
He said the industry was stronger as a result of the NMTF working with the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) and the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM).
He praised the success of initiatives such as Making Markets Matter that were helping to promote markets across the country.
“After three years I am still amazed at the amount of work that goes into running the NMTF,” he said. “Being President has been a wonderful experience — visiting so many markets,
meeting market
so many wonderful
branch meetings. My enthusiasm is undiminished.”
traders
and attending
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