Page 13 - A Century Of Service
P. 13

 Winning the Westminster battle, making closer contact
THE last decade of the century saw the federation fight and beat the Conservative government over its plan to get rid of ancient market franchise rights.
The campaign, which included a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament, won the support of many grass roots members. They wrote to their MPs to protest about the plan to remove the rights of a charter market operator to object to the setting up of a rival market within six and two-thirds miles.
Clauses to be introduced to the new Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill were withdrawn in the House of Commons after a backbench revolt led by former Conservative MP Sir Michael Neubert, then one of our parliamentary advisers.
The federation was clear in its assertion that removal of the rights would have led to a free for all which would have been to the detriment of trader, operator and customer alike.
    IN THE nineties the federation became increasingly conscious of the need to have more contact with its members, who were spread throughout the UK.
Past President Eric Tweed became our first Mobile Officer. Travelling from his Warwickshire base, Eric
drove countless thousands of miles to talk to members on markets, ask about their problems, and help them
with any disputes they might be having with
their operator. The success of
this operation was reflected in the
fact that, in 1994, Eric became the new Branch
Support Officer. The federation now has two Mobile Officers, one based in the north and
the other in the south, so that contact with the members and their working environment is that much stronger.
REGULAR communication with its members is essential for an organisation like the NMTF as it expands its services.
In the mid-nineties the decision was taken to appoint a Publicity Officer.
Early in 1995 the first of a bi-monthly A3 publication Federation News was sent free to members. Since then it has proved an invaluable way of letting members know what is happening, what is going on at fellow branches, and giving them important information on new legislation.
The publicity department is now responsible for all aspects of the federation’s literature, which is designed in-house using the latest computer technology.
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