Cllr Martin Brookes report for Oakham Town Council. Rutland County Council AGM

Cllr Martin Brookes report for Oakham Town Council.


Rutland County Council AGM

The Fourteenth Annual and One hundred and Seventy Eighth Meeting of the Council held in the chamber at Catmose, Oakham on Monday 10 May 2010.

Also present Cllr Alf Dewis and Cllr Joyce Lucas. No press

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm

Before this there was a slight disturbance Cllr Joyce Lucas had to be asked to sit in the public seating by the Chief Executive, Despite Cllr Dewis be aware of this request he proceeded to walk across the chamber to speak to staff on the far side of the chamber. I am guessing as he was forced out of his job at Rutland County Council he misses the direct contact with those staff members or was he checking he was still going to me paid his very high consultancy fees.

When Cllr Alf Dewis arrived he approached me and goaded me about my recent arrest, I believe he was bullying and trying very hard to provoke a reaction from me. I asked him to go away and he returned a spoke directly into my face and stated the Cllr I have been whispering to is Cllr Heather Wells. I told him I was not interested and politely asked him to leave me alone once more. I did not need to know who Heather Wells was everyone knows she is the Cllr who has destroyed the education system here in Rutland.

Cllr Alf Dewis seems to find the situation Oakham Town Council finds itself amusing or at least his sarcastic comments directed at me. He seems to think because he has contacts at Rutland County Council he can freely behave in a bullying and homophobic bigoted manner towards me. During the meeting I served Cllr Alf Dewis with a notice I hope will reduced his harassment. I have asked him not to approach me or speak to me outside the Chamber of Oakham Town Council if he does I will seek an injunction against him through the courts to stop his harassment. Cllr Dewis found this letter amusing I suggest he takes notice or he may also find himself arrested.

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm

Various elections were held and not many changes resulted from this.

The Chairman of Rutland County Council remains the same Mr Baines

The Vice Chairman of the Council remains the same Mr Bool although this was challenged by the nomination of Mr Ind.

The Leader of Rutland County Council remained the same Mr Begy

There was also no change of the members to the cabinet this was a surprise to me when you consider one member had 16 complaints raised at Standards last year. One other received a complaint and during his interview given to Standards for England it appears he was so drunk at the time. He could not remember the time or day of the incident.

This angers me because it appears councillors can do as they please and use the get out clause all I did was in private capacity they repeatedly use this excuse. So it is not surprising Councillors are loosing all public respect. For the record before anyone says anything at this meeting. Yes I was arrested for showing some off the bullying I am subjected to, I have not been charged and I do not believe I have committed an offence.

Also for many months I and others protested to press because they would not publish the Standards judgment against Mr Begy. Interestingly my arrest was published the very next day and was updated yesterday online. The press continue to exaggerate the facts. The notice board was not filled with pornographic images.

At the point of the meeting councillors were appointed to outside bodies a Cllr stood to remind people they are accountable to the electorate and it appeared some Councillors were not doing anything.

I was surprised to see the Councillor who assisted with the setting up of Uppingham Town Partnership was not elected as an appointed member.