Oakham Town Council- Problems with Councillors and Transparency

It is interesting to read about other councils, you soon find Oakham Town Council is not  different from many other English Town Councils, many run by egotistic people who are really very tiny people.
The Hertfordshire Mercury reported on Friday 19th June that Hertford Town Council were refusing to release information on how they spent public money and one of their councillors, John Hedley, was being investigated for misconduct.

Mr Hedley is Oakham's answer to Cllr Jan Fillingham.

Hertfordshire Mercury recently revealed that Hertford Town Council spent £36,3777.85 on legal fees in 2007/2008, but HTC refused to disclose details. This is an obscene amount of public money and the residents of Hertford have a right to know how their money is being spent. the people said it is disturbing our elected representatives in the Town Council are clearly withholding information from us. Town Council up and down the land forget they are using tax payers money to serve. Like the residents of Hertford I find it frustrating Oakham Town Council will often withhold information from me.
Only yesterday I was told by a member of the public what the council had decided was to happen at Royce Recreation ground, before we have even discussed it a councillors husband was giving this information out over lunch in a local bar.

Cllr John Hedley, is a member of East Herts District Council and Hertford Town Council, will be investigated by the Complaints Committee at East Herts District Council for breaching the Councillors' Code of Conduct. This is not the first time his behaviour has come into question. Last year he was suspended from Hertford Town Council for three months for being abusive. It was alleged he was drunk at the time, although he said it was the effect of his medication. It was at the suggested he be educated as to the effects of his medication and drink. If the investigation concludes against Cllr Hedley again, he has been asked to resign to maintain his own dignity and the reputation of both East Herts District Council and Hertford Town Council. If he is anything like some of Oakham Town Councillors he wont.

I also read Hertford Town Council is currently accredited as a Quality Town Council by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC). Our local council has undoubtedly had numerous achievements such as an active established Youth Town Council. But the latest scandals threaten its reputation and risk losing its Quality status.

For a Town/Parish council to achieve Quality Status, they must meet ten different criteria set by the NALC, including Test Six- Accountability. The NALC website describes this measure as 'to ensure that all Quality parish and town councils maintain accurate and transparent financial arrangements'. I  don't see that withholding information on how £36,000 public money was spent is either transparent or promotes accountability.

There are currently two vacant seats on Hertford Town Council, one as a result of the former Councillor Sacha Bright being expelled for not attending a single council meeting in six months. Ironically on his blog for Mr Bright's company EJ Creative, he states that he is 'an active member of Hertford Town Council'. The other vacant seat is as a result of the resignation of former councillor John Cook. Oakham Town Council has just filled to vacant seat with fresh fruit. I hope the foul gases from the rotten fruit at Oakham Town Council does not rot the new fruit so quickly.

Hertford Town Council is currently emblazoned in political scandals and risks losing the confidence of Hertford residents. In the next few days candidates will be announced for the two vacant seats and the by-election will take place on Tuesday 21st July. Recent events have showed that voting for a political party is by no means a guarantee of a person's suitability or integrity; Cllr Hedley and Sacha Bright were both members of the Conservative Party. Now that is no surprise old rotten tories.  The Hertford Scandals echo Oakham publicly we are told Oakham Town Council is non political that is one big fat lie. I am surprised the chamber is not painted a rotten blue.
Hertford residents say it is surprising that leaders of the local Conservative Party have not deselected Cllr Hedley, would you really want to be associated with such an abusive individual? We hope that this election will be an opportunity for local people to vote for a person, rather than a party. Surely two Independent Councillors would benefit Hertford Town Council.

Of course this won't happen, Cllr Jan Fillingham attacked our Tory Controlled Council in her end of term report. The incoming chairman refused to read it out at the Town Meeting. The Tory controlled Council have not taken any action. Cllr Jan Fillingham sit at home not attending meeting even though it was publicly announced at the same meeting she was now well.

The Tory controlled County Council have dealt very promptly with complaints made against me by their fellow Tories
unfortunately this is not the same when it comes to my complaints. I still wait to hear the outcome of complaints I made last year.

What I find interesting is all up and down the land Town Council issues are correctly covered by the local press.

There is no freedom of the press in Rutland, The Town Council are on first name terms with reporter and photographers.

Just before the start of a recent meeting it was mentioned Gary was off to a bigger place. Are we getting Adrea back ? No was the reply another name was mentioned and Councillor seemed pleased with that.

Of course we have media man Cllr Tor Clark on the Council will they be able to control him.

I am rather hoping he will feed info to a BBC satirical show and those who attended the Tesco meeting may get there wish to see Oakham Town Council on a spitting image style show.