MONMOUTHSHIRE councillors are to debate a six-month extension to the lease governing the running of Abergavenny's Cattle Market reports ANDY SHERWILL.

The three-year operational lease on site is due to expire on May 13, which is currently operated by Abergavenny and Newport Market Auctioneers Ltd.

However, because the replacement livestock market at Bryngwyn is not due to be completed until November a new short-term lease needs to be negotiated.

A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council said that the authority remains committed to providing a seamless transfer to the operators and users of the livestock market.

"Therefore ANMAL has requested that it be granted a further short term lease to enable them to remain in possession of the existing site until the replacement market is available for occupation."

The delays in providing the replacement livestock market within the time span are due to the external legal challenges over the closure of the Abergavenny site and the public inquiry over the Compulsory Purchase Order for the shooting rights on land adjacent to the Bryngwyn site.

The existing lease contains a clause that allows the auctioneers to vacate the site with a fixed compensation payment when it expires on May 13.

However, the auctioneers have re-affirmed their commitment to the market and requested that they remain on site rather than claim the compensation.

The council has also entered into an overarching document called the Market Agreement, which deals with the processes for securing the replacement livestock market and the new lease arrangements that both parties will enter into.

The Market Agreement needs to sit alongside the lease agreements to dictate how the relocation of the market is managed and other on-going operational issues.

Both the council and ANMAL will incur their own legal costs in preparing the legal documentation.