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Roger, thanks for your support, it seems a reality check is required here; if what you are proposing is so straightforward and your action plan so compelling why hasn't it been actioned already?
This mythical entrepreneurial town centre/market manager - who/where is this person?
Such a person won't come cheap, lets say they'll warrant a salary of £30k pa. After the recruitment process, office facilities, rates, utilities, IT and marketing we're looking at a conservative outlay in year 1 of approx £40k.
You mention 12 stalls is not sufficient; at a cost of £500 each can you see why we are starting with that number, bearing in mind we have £6000? If you think 30 or so is required thats another £15000 outlay.
Now we're on to the marketing and advertising of the market, the formation of a company and other incidentals. Lets work to a budget of £5000. So, as part of a business plan we need £60000 in the first year.
We have £6000 from DTC to buy market stalls, as a District Councillor perhaps you can suggest which dept of DDC can help with the remaining £54000. You mention DHB, who on this thread are being castigated for cutting staff - is it realistic to go to them and ask for funding a town centre manager?
Roger, I dont want to appear confrontational, we all know you have Dover's interest at heart, but your plan is simply uncosted and unfunded, it is a wish list not a plan. You will note that the Town Team has made no promises, we were unsuccessful with the Portas bids and have decided to plough on with the limited resources we have. Within the next month we will be meeting with as many major organisations in the town as we can, lets hope they share our enthusiasm and feel able to help in some way, but we can make plans based on what they can do, not on what we want them to do. As a small group of people we have no credibility, we have to take things gradually and hope progress can be made.
People like Kathy Bailes at the Express are very supportive, in general the same applies around the town. As I said to you previously, there are no new ideas its a case of doing things in an organised way.