Oakham Town Council Precluding a Councillor

Cllr Martin Brookes




Oakham Town Council





Oakham Town Council have, now stopped me freely carrying out my duties.



Cllr Alf Dewis is a bully he with the support of another bully Councillor Charles Haworth proposed I should be excluded from the council office.



This proposal failed and I am partially excluded.



I am required to make an appointment to see the assistant clerk, when I arrive she will see me on CCTV and close The Town Clerks office door and a curtain will be drawn on the glass in the door so he does not have to look at me! I find this the most offensive condition.



I am not willing to make appointments so I will not be able to assist the people who I serve and suggest they visit the office as they require no appointment.



The Town Clerk Richard White accuses me of bullying and there has been no investigation.



I agreed to mediation suggested ACAS. The Town Council find the fee of £500+ for an hour to much.



I suggested Mr White contacts his union and they may pay. I was told the Town Council don’t want it to go that far. So what to they want to do?



I would like to see Mr White’s allegation and I would like to see the matter fully investigated.



Is a screen to be erected at Council meetings or should I wear a paper bag?



It was suggested if Ignored this letter an injunction could be issued but they did not want to do that.



The Town Clerk is returning to work half days until he feels better? I feel he should stay away until he has made a full recovery or leave and sue the council. I certainly have not bullied him. He has certainly bullied me along with his friends.



The Council resolved by 6 votes for and 1 against (that was me) with 1 abstention that: ((That was Cllr Alan Walters) all the other chose to go along with the bullies)

At this meeting I was bullied and intimidated and forced to vote on a proposal to exclude me!



Our new Mayor Sharon Spencer said she was unhappy to be passing me this letter and said the Town Clerk was not happy with the action taken then maybe he should stop lying and name the real bullies I name one Former Councillor Mr Beech.



Then gave me a letter











Letter received from Oakham Town Council:



Oakham Town Council

Victoria Hall, 39 High Street,

Oakham,

Rutland,

LE15 6AH





Councillor Martin Brookes

13 Willow Crescent

Oakham

Rutland

LE15 6EQ





Dear Councillor Brookes



Council Meeting Wednesday 5th May 2010.



Following the extra Meeting of the Council on Wednesday 5th May 2010. I write to confirm the resolution of the council.



The Council resolved by 6 votes for and 1 against with 1 abstention that:



Cllr Brookes should refrain from any personal contact with the Town Clerk via electronic means, letter, telephone or personal visit to the office. In order to enable Cllr Brookes to undertake his councillor duties, all formal communication shall be made through the Assistant Clerk and by pr-arranged appointment only. These restrictions shall operate until further notice.



The Council, as the corporate body, is the employer of the Town Clerk alleging that you are bullying him. The Town Council considers that it should put in place restrictions on your access to him whilst the grievance is being investigated and adjudicated within the Council’s procedures. Such action should be seen as precautionary to protect all concerned during the normal course of the process.



You are to refrain from any personal contact with the Town Clerk, with immediate effect, until you are notified that the Council concludes after due process that there was no bullying or, if it is found that there has been bullying behaviour, the Council is reassured there will be no bullying in the future. The Town Council resolved that you should not therefore contact the Town Clerk directly by any electronic means, letter, telephone, or visit him in person.



It is important that you are precluded from carrying out your basic role as a councillor. The resolution does not preclude you from attending meetings of the Council, committees, working groups or bodies on which you represent the Council. However, at any of these meetings you should not put yourself in a position where you are alone with the Town Clerk.



Facilities have been made for you to obtain information and advice on Town Council matters so that you can continue to represent the electorate in your Ward. To this end all communications are to be via the Assistant Town Clerk who will arrange for the information you require to be provided.



As part of the process you were to be offered mediation in an attempt to help you to understand the effect the alleged bullying is having on the Town Clerk and to agree a mediator to help both sides through the process. This was explained to you by Councillor Woodcock on Saturday 1st May when you called at a councillor’s surgery. Unfortunately, you refused to agree to meet with the two councillors nominated to raise the issue with you. At the Town Council Meeting on Wednesday evening you agreed to undertake mediation as long as the mediator was from an independent body. eg. ACAS. Arrangements for mediation will be put in place and you will be notified in due course.



Yours sincerely



Sharon Spencer

Chairman