SO Royston Town Council has decided to take over running Royston market. It is a decision that came about after hours of talks with North Herts District Council, which last year said it wanted to privatise the operation. Town councillors spoke on Monday

SO Royston Town Council has decided to take over running Royston market.

It is a decision that came about after hours of talks with North Herts District Council, which last year said it wanted to "privatise" the operation.

Town councillors spoke on Monday evening about seeing the decision as an opportunity to rejuvenate the twice-a-week market.

Now action has to replace words.

The town council has taken on an operation which in recent years has been seen to be in decline.

Maybe that was the reason the district council was so keen to see it handed over to a party willing to take on the responsiblity.

In the end, however, it did not get an established market operator - but decided to allow the town council to take on an operation in which, it has to be said, it is not experienced.

But with proper planning, there is no reason to believe that it will not succeed.

Town councillors certainly appear to have the enthusiasm to run the market - but now it needs the ideas and the vision to give it the kiss-of-life.