After such a long period of having no councillors serving South East we now have two new councillors, despite one of them applying for the North East Ward where there was no vacancy. I did not point this out at the time of interview because members tend to ignore my observations.
I am still trying to work out the odds of any organisation holding an election and giving each member two votes to chose to candidates and all the member vote the same. Well it happened at Oakham Town Council, it has been described as a miracle!
Our first new councillor, ladies first is:
Councillor Lorna Grey
Glebe Way
Oakham
lornajgrey@virgin.net
Councillor Grey has lived in Oakham for 31 years and very much loves our town and county.
Back in 1979 Councillor Grey and her husband raised a huge sum of money £10,000 to purchase a foetal heart monitor for The Rutland Memorial Hospital.
Councillor Grey has given time to various committee and organisations over the years.
Councillor Grey taught at the Vale of Catmose College as a supply and special needs teacher.
Councillor Grey has also worked as a volunteer for Help the aged and Make-A-Wish.
Councillor Grey says she has a lot to offer the council and the people, mainly a lot of enthusiasm, she would also like to see more facilities for younger people.
Councillor Grey says “I would like to be able to push the idea to EVERYONE that we should take a pride in our environment and keep our street clear of litter”
Strangely when I bring up that subject I am told by members, Rutland County Council do a wonderful job cleaning up. I think some need to get out of their cars and look at the litter everywhere you walk.
Councillor Grey has a slogan for the town. “Wear that frown upside down as people react to a smile far more than a grumpy face!”
I now have visions of a town full of grumpy people, well we have a few like most towns.
The second new councillor is:
Councillor Tor Clark
Hambleton Close
Oakham
On paper this man look interesting, I am not sure what he will make of Oakham Town Council and its current dysfunctional condition.
Councillor Tor Clark is a political journalist and university lecturer. He is Principal Lecturer in journalism at De-Montfort University in Leicester.
He also acts as an academic advisor to other UK universities, as political journalist for national magazines.
At the recent general elections he was a analyst for BBC Leicester.
Councillor Clark has held editorial posts for the following news publication.
Rutland & Stamford Mercury
Harborough & Lutterworth Mail
Kettering & Corby editions of the
Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph
Councillor Clark say he spent a lot of his 16 year working in journalism covering an awful lot of council meetings, a task journalist no longer perform in our area.
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Councillor Clark is an elected parent governor at Oakham C of E school, he has been very busy as chair of the governing bodies strategic vision committee. He is over seeing plans to rebuild the school this summer.
Councillor Clerk sits on Rutland County Councils Little Build Project board, which is overseeing the rebuild, he also represents the school on Rutlans Governors’ forum. He represents all Rutland’s Primary school parent governors on Rutland County Councils Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Panel.
Councillor Clark says “I have thought long and hard about getting more involved in local affairs through elected office and have come to the conclusion that I should at least try to contribute as the opportunity to serve my area is open”
