National Markets honour for Chesterfield

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Sep 2006

A Chesterfield Liberal Democrat councillor has been elected to one of the leading positions in the national organisation that represents the interests of towns and cities which run markets.

Cllr Stuart Bray, Chesterfield Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Planning and Asset Management was elected Vice President of the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) at the Association's annual conference in Glasgow.

NABMA began life as a regional organisation based in Yorkshire in 1919, going national in the 1940s, and although Chesterfield was one of the founder members over 80 years ago it is the first time a councillor from the town has been elected to high office within the organisation.

More than 130 authorities are members of NABMA and Cllr Bray, whose responsibilities as Cabinet Member include Chesterfield Market, said: "I am honoured to be elected as Vice President, an appointment which I believe gives us a ringing endorsement of the progress we have made on improving our historic market in Chesterfield over recent years.

"The Market Square and its stalls have been totally refurbished, work is due to start on similar improvements to New Square within a few months and our third annual Market Festival will take place next month, having already established itself as a major attraction in the area."