AMIDST the fallout from the resignation of two of her council colleagues this week, Derwent Valley Council mayor Michelle Dracoulis today called for a detailed analysis of the New Norfolk Market.
RELATED: COUNCILLORS CALL IT QUITS
The market has been operated by Jessica Cosgrove who was a candidate for election to the council at the time she was granted a license in 2018 to conduct the market in High St after making an application under a competitive tender process. The agreement was renewed several years ago after a similar process was conducted.
RELATED: DEPUTY MAYOR TO RUN MARKET
Cr Dracoulis yesterday (Friday) announced that the council had decided “to move to an Expression of Interest process for activating our main streets and public spaces.”
This decision was apparently made during a closed council meeting on Thursday night and Ms Cosgrove – who resigned from the council on Monday – today said she had been informed that the same closed council meeting had decided her license to operate the market in High St would not be renewed.
Ms Cosgrove issued an appeal for letters of support for the market to continue and, at the time of writing, this has resulted in nearly 300 supportive messages being posted on Facebook, which prompted further announcements by the mayor.
This started with what Cr Dracoulis referred to a “simple version” of the council’s intent, noting that the market agreement “is coming to an end later in 2026” and that the council would run an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process “for how outdoor events are run into the future. Everyone will be welcome to apply, including those currently running events in the area,” she said.
More than 100 responses have been made to that post on Facebook, with the majority supporting the market’s status quo and a smaller number endorsing the proposed expression of interest process as being “open and transparent.” Among the comments, former Glenorchy alderman Nigel Jones pointed out that tenders and EOIs were neither open nor transparent when they were dealt with in closed council meetings.
A subsequent social media post by Cr Dracoulis advised of her intent to seek a public report setting out:
- the current arrangements (of the New Norfolk Market licence)
- what’s required under the existing licence (including reporting and payments)
- a full account of whether these requirements have been met across the term of the licence, from commencement to now
- any in-kind support or services provided by Council, and their value
“I’ll also ask that the report explain how we’ve reached the recommendation not to extend the current licence. The report will also outline why we’ll be conducting an open Expression of Interest for the future use of this Council-owned space,” Cr Dracoulis said. “Where information is legally required to remain confidential, that will be respected, but my aim is to give the community a clear understanding of where things stand and what will happen next.”
Ms Cosgrove said she was the owner and operator of the New Norfolk Market. “I simply hire the land from Council to hold the market, and I pay over $14,000 per year directly to Derwent Valley Council in fees.
“This is in addition to the significant costs I personally carry to keep the market running, including public liability insurance, superannuation, staffing and operational expenses. I have invested years of hard work, passion and personal risk into building this market into what it is today, a thriving space that supports local businesses, families and our wider community.
“I share this to ensure there is clear and accurate understanding of how the market operates. I also just want to say how incredibly grateful I am for the overwhelming outpouring of support, the messages, calls, comments and emails truly mean more than I can put into words … thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing behind me and our market,” Ms Cosgrove said.
Disclosure: New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News has contributed to the market’s upcoming Easter Egg Hunt.
See more Derwent Valley and Central Highlands news and sport online and read our print edition every second Friday. Subscribe to our free daily news email here.
