Oakham Tennis Club Lights and Mayor Cllr Joyce Lucas Questionable Conduct.

Oakham Town Council met this evening the gallery of Victoria Hall to accommodate the large public turn out of over 30 people.

Last November the council voted as landlords voted against the installation of four floodlights.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr John Nowell he laid down the rules rather firmly, he rules with a iron rod, most likely the same one he uses to access the lodges.

The tennis club this evening was seeking permission to erect floodlights on only three courts.

First the Tennis Club chairman spoke and he apologised for any inconvenience and stress he or his club may have caused residents.

Another member of the club also spoke.

Durring the presentation the council was threatened with legal action.

Sport was promoted as a good thing for young people and the wider community.

The tennis club says falling membership is due to the lack of floodlighting.

The tennis club had 418 members in 2005 and this has declined to124 currently.

A older member of the public interrupted the  meeting to remind the club this was a public
facility.

This prompted the Chairman of the club to point out since this was brought to attention last
November they are advertising the availability of the key for public access to one of the courts.

He also referred to the clubs membership of an elite league based in  Leicestershire and the
risk of losing that membership if the existing ground was not upgraded.

Then is was the turn of the residents to have there say.

There representative a club member himself said they would not repeat there past presentations
accused the club of lying about fact and using the local press for proper gander!

I can see his point as the chairman seemed to be miss informed about the number of supporters
for his on-line petition he said 200+ and when I look early this evening there was 161, In his letter
he claimed to have over 1000 supporter so he might be a little guilty of exaggerating.

The Club Chairman responded by saying he did not like being called a liar and he also disliked the
suggestion he use proper gander.

The resident responded with an apology if he had cause any offence. Then he went on to say the tennis club could do the same referring to the way they had treated residents in particular Mr Kelly.

The meeting then moved onto to the debate by councillors. Cllr Adam Lowe was stopped mid sentence when the mistake was noticed.

The public deputations had been missed.

The first significant deputation was from Conservative Councillor Gene Plews

He expressed his sadness that there had been no compromise.

He said the tennis club recently put on a very amateur presentation for residents, It sounds like they got a repeat of the diabolical presentation they gave the council last November.

He then went on to say the residents were verging on hysteria.

He said whatever the outcome there are NO Winners tonight.

A resident spoke about the little effect the lights would have on the residents and the club would be greatly effected if they did not have them.

Various other members of the public and club member spoke in support of erecting lights.

One resident against raised the previous planning mister minors committed by the club and stating that as a reason why the existing one set of light can not be switched on. He also mentioned the removal of a hedge.

A previous chairman of the club did his best to dodge the first matter, but stated the club had permission
to remove a hedge,

The meeting then moved onto the debate by councillors

Some Councillors said it was a difficult matter to decided.

One pointed out Catmose has lights and it fails to attract members.

Some time into the debate the Mayor Cllr Lucas woke up and like a naughty child said she objected to the debate not being held in the chamber. Quite frankly a disgraceful show was presented by her in front of the public. She caused a bit of a commotion and show a total lack of respect to fellow Councillors and the public.
She said i am not saying anything until we go into the chamber.

So the debate passed her by and it was the turn of her deputy Charles Haworth who surprised me, he spoke well and apologised for not showing more of an interest last time around and he would be happy to visit a club with  lights if required to do so. Cllr Lucas snapped you had your chance.
As he continued Cllr Lucas interrupted him again and he said you have put me off and she replied good.

He went on to suggest arbitration was  used, Cllr Lucas groaned and looked at him as if he was crazy.

At the point the Chairman Cllr Nowell was ready to take the vote The Mayor Cllr Joyce Lucas woke up again realising there was going to be no debate she demanded her say at that point the meeting once again fell into an unprofessional chaos.

She left the meeting for sometime and returned with a pile of documents.

She had here saying claiming she had been putting herself about a bit and done her homework.
She had even knocked on residents doors in Stamford.

She was critical of the Catmose Sports centre facilities and its fee and litter and she asked Cllr Plews to take that back to to RCC.

When she had finished Cllr Haworth made a proposal to defer so a compromise could be worked out. That was not seconded.

The vote eventually was to approve the erection of floodlighting on three courts as landlords.

Two Councillors were absent there was less councillors than there was fir the November vote.

One Councillor abstained and the  vote was split 3 for and 3 against so the chairman used his casting vote
to vote for granting permission.

The Mayor stated her approval by say "Brilliant" 

I am predicting this silly council will vote against when the required planning application come before them.

You only have to look back at the previous supermarket fiascos to see there is never any continuity from them.

At this point the public decided to leave most very unhappy with the councils decision.

The Councillor decided to move into the chamber the continuation of the meeting was delayed for some time one member of the public was expressing his disapproval to the Mayor. When the remainder of the public were about to leave she came shouting about her previous vote which is disputed by the public.

Things calmed down and the meeting continued and went into extra time. I will report on that part of the meeting in the morning. Its been a long evening.

Its my understanding some members of the public may raise standards complaints against the Mayor regarding her conduct.

i did think about it but my experience tells me its would be a pointless exercise. She is member of the Standards Committee at Rutland County Council I think that says enough!