Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Oakham Mayor Councillor Alf Dewis Special Meeting of Oakham Town Council Vote of No Confidence

Oakham Mayor Councillor Alf Dewis Special Meeting of Oakham Town Council Vote of No Confidence

Next Wednesday's Planning and Parks Meeting at Oakham Town Council has
been cancelled and replaced with a Special Full Council Meeting.

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 7:00pm  this meeting like all meetings is open to the
public and there is a opportunity for the public to speak

One of the reasons is due to my proposal to move a vote of no confidence in
our Mayor and Chairman















Mr Dewis has brought Oakham Town Council into serious disrepute.

Mr Dewis was deputy Mayor of Oakham last year and in part is
responsible for the serious situation Oakham Town Council finds
itself in regarding failing to submit its 2014 - 2015 accounts to the
external auditors Grant Thornton.

I imagine my proposal will fall because it is very apparent to
me many members of Oakham Town Council accept the shoddy
way the council is run and some support bullying and homophobia
and racism in fact many things that are not satisfactory in these
modern times.

Below is my report and proposals. A lot of work and research has
gone into the preparation, Which the clerk did not expect.
What did he think I was just going to simply propose a vote
of no confidence?

Today going through the report with the Clerk I made a verbal
request that something was pointed out to the Chairman, a suggestion.
The Clerk refused saying I am not telling him anything.

Quite difficult when you have a chairman who expects me to
communicate via the Clerk about everything.





OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Report Author: Cllr Martin Brookes
Title: Councillor

Subject: Vote of No Confidence in the Chairman of Oakham Town Council


I believe The Chairman of Oakham Town Council has brought
Oakham Town Council into disrepute.
Because the Chairman has continually ignored local government laws and this Councils own Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

Decision making of any matter cannot be legally delegated to any single
councillor or the Chairman

The Chairman arranged a contract and this resulted in tax payers money being
spent without the correct lawful authority

Oakham Town Council is not private members club, Charity or Association.

It is a tier of local government constituted by law.

The Chairman has continually ignored the fact that decision making cannot be made
by one single councilor. Often we read communications where the chairman
states, “I have decided…”


All future Council spending must be authorised by full council unless otherwise lawfully  delegated, if not it is illegal.

When a individual councillor incurs such expenditure it is illegal and not binding
on the council.

If a parish councillor enters into any financial contract or makes a decision
by themselves they may be personal liable for the financial consequences.
There is no obligation for the council to pay for or refund any costs.

I contend that on 29th June 2015 the Chairman unlawfully prevented a member of this Council from taking part in lawful debate an entitlement afforded to all members in law.

I also contend that on 29th June 2015 the Chairman unlawfully excluded me from the meeting.

On 29th June 2015 the Chairman led members to conduct council business which has
since been voided. I believe this is the first time in the history of Oakham Town Council that a chairman has achieved so much at one short meeting.

I believe that all the above has brought the Town Council into serious disrepute.

Since writing up my report and proposal there has been the following development. At the AGM I questioned the payment made to Wilkin Chapman.The Chairman said the payment was for employment advice. At the last meeting the chairman changed his response to disorderly conduct advice. Due to this unauthorised advice the council has now adopted an incorrect policy. Attached is the NALC advice, handed to members at our recent training, on disorderly conduct and the Council’s recently adopted policy on the same matter please note the vast difference.

After the last meeting the Chairman said sorry for incorrectly answering me the first time I questioned the details regarding the Wilkin Chapman payment

Proposed motions

1. That the Chairman of Oakham Town Council and his unlawful actions have brought the council into disrepute and I therefore propose a vote of No Confidence in the Chairman

2. To decide if Oakham Town Council wishes to seek to recover unlawful expenditure specifically relating to part of the Wilkin Chapman invoice and the contract with Personnel Advice & Solutions Ltd