TOWN councillors are calling for a referendum to be held to determine whether the Abergavenny Improvement Acts should be repealed to make way for a new supermarket to built on the cattle market.

As The Chronicle reported recently a Welsh Government consultation on the repeal of the Abergavenny Improvement Acts by Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant AM is to take place without involvement from local people and will only include representatives of the NFU, the FUW, local auctioneers AMAL, and the town council.

However, at a recent meeting of Abergavenny Town Council, it was moved that councillors will ask Monmouthshire County Council and the Welsh Government for a referendum to be held.

Councillor Douglas Edwards who proposed the motion said, "Over the last 20 years the British Parliament has held three referendums in Wales.

The first rejected the idea of an assembly, the second voted in favour,  the third referendum with the permission of the English parliament gave the Welsh Assembly, now the Welsh Government the additional powers needed to govern Wales directly. That was democracy working at its best.

"I am assuming Carl Sargeant campaigned probably using such words 'that it was the democratic right for the Welsh to determine their future.'

"I am saying to him let the people of Abergavenny have the same right."

The Abergavenny Improvement Acts state that a cattle market must be provided within one mile of the town, however, the planned site at Raglan is some nine miles away.

Councillor Edwards continued, "The previous minister Mr Gibbons said the Assembly would allow the people of Abergavenny to determine their future by deciding whether to repeal the Abergavenny Act.

"County Councillor Greenland's obsession to have a market in Raglan rather than in the food town of Wales could have catastrophic outcomes for the town.

"Councillors look around you, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Brynmawr Merthyr Tydfil have all suffered and seen their town centres diminish due to out of town store and off centre development.

"Should we town councillors make the decision?  None of us know the true position, I want all of you his evening to vote for a referendum of the towns people of Abergavenny and let them have their democratic say."

Local groups Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market (KALM) and Abergavenny Civic Society have fiercely campaigned against replacing the market.

KALM spokesman Barry Greenwood said, "This is an unexpected and exciting turn of events which will, if it succeeds in securing a referendum, plug the huge democratic hole created by Welsh Government Minister Carl Sargeant's decision to limit his consultation to a tiny number of interested parties.  We congratulate the Town Council on this bold and imaginative initiative which  strikes a blow for democracy on behalf of all Abergavenny residents. 

"A referendum will give everyone, including the hill farmers who depend on the market, the chance to have their say on this issue, and KALM recognises that the vote could go against us, with more people voting for repeal than not," said Mr Greenwood.

"But we have always argued for proper democracy, something which has been conspicuously lacking on this project since its inception years ago. KALM will accept the result of a proper referendum which includes the local farmers, whichever way it goes."

It is understood by The Chronicle that the cost of holding a referendum on the issue is likely to be around £5,000 - an sum which will be carried by the town council

The issue has also gained support from South Wales East Plaid AM Lindsay Whittle who has urged the Local Government Minister to ensure there is extensive consultation before any decision is made.

In the letter to the Minister, the Plaid AM wrote, "In view of the public's interest in this application for repeal of the Abergavenny Improvements Acts, I would hope that this consultation will be as extensive as possible and that all interested parties in and around Abergavenny will be consulted, including organisations such as KALM, a local pressure group, as well as the local authorities and the users of the cattle market. I would hope that all views will be taken into consideration when the decision is made.

"I note that the Farmers Union of Wales has urged that no decision on repealing the Acts is taken until the proposed new livestock market at Raglan is in place. I would agree with the FUW that it would not be appropriate to take a decision on repeal before any alternative provision is in place."

Deputy Leader of Monmouthshire Council Council with responsibility for modernisation, enterprise and communication, Councillor Bob Greenland said he was surprised that Abergavenny Town Council had voted at this late stage to request a community referendum on the redevelopment of the cattle market.

"This process has been going on for many years. There have been a number of consultations, most recently prior to the planning authority giving permission for the new supermarket and library, as well as for the new livestock market at Raglan. What the people of Abergavenny are telling me is that they want us to get on with this development now.  

"This must be about the most consulted proposal for many a year. The problem is that those who are against the improvements will not consider it an adequate consultation unless they get the answer from it that they want," said Councillor Greenland.

"Those who still oppose the idea of a supermarket in the town conveniently disregard the fact that if we fail to get one on the cattle market site, then a developer is ready and waiting to build one on the edge of the town and that would be the worst outcome for the future of the town. And given the planning regulations I doubt that the county council would be able to prevent it," he added

A Welsh Government spokesperson said the Abergavenny Improvement Acts not protect the site from redevelopment.

She said, "The council appear to be legally obliged, to hold a livestock market in the town on specified days under the 19th Century Abergavenny Improvement Acts.   

 "So far as we know this is a unique restriction in Wales.  All other local authorities are free to decide on these matters, and to operate livestock markets under powers in modern legislation.

 "We have long said that that we would consider repealing these Acts if and only when the council took the decision to close the current cattle market.  We have no responsibility for that decision, or for the related proposals to move the market to Raglan and construct a supermarket on the current site. 

"The Acts do not protect the current site from redevelopment: retaining them would not mean the redevelopment would have to stop, and repealing them would not mean that the market would have to close. 

"Those are rightly matters for the council, which granted planning permission for the redevelopment of the current market site in June.

 "We are now considering the next steps and will make a further announcement in due course.