Leader of Oakham Town Council planning to Scrap Planning Meetings

The leader of Oakham Town Council and Oakham Mayor Councillor Sharon Spencer in a private pre Town Council meeting proposed scrapping planning meetings and suggested a committee should be set up to discuss and make decisions. This should only involve member who are interested in planning matters. Although this may not be illegal, it is not transparent and suggests to me the Clerk who is unelected is looking forward to this new power, if it does happen I trust Rutland County Council will not take any notice of future recommendations from Oakham Town Council. I feel this is an attack upon local democracy and transparency or is an attempt to unseat the current chair Councillor Joyce who the public found amusing at the Tesco meetings. Councillor Spencer felt large applications like Tesco could still be held in open public meetings.

I also wonder if she realises the public are entitled to attend committee meetings.

Councillor Spencer also proposed abolishing the Parks and Recreation Meetings.

And finally Councillor Spencer proposed limiting main Council meetings to one a month, if this change is implemented this will become one very long meeting or is she proposing most of the Councils buiseness is conducted behind closed doors

Transparency and Accountability?