Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL MET
TUESDAY 15TH MARCH 2011 AT 7.00PM
AT THE OFFICES OF OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL,
VICTORIA HALL, 39 HIGH STREET, OAKHAM
The meeting was unusually enjoyable and well conducted, might have been due to the return of Cllr Mark Woodcock who chaired the meeting.
Apologies for absence were received from Sharon Spencer, Joyce Lucas and Maureen Dodds.
Members are asked to declare any interest they may have in respect to items on the
agenda nio members declared any. The Clerk declared one of the people tendering to supply the floral contract is a close associate of his.
Members confirmed the minutes of the meeting of Oakham Town Council held on
Wednesday March 2nd 2011
Members considered a item outstanding from the previous meeting.
They approved the adoption of New Standing Orders
Proposed by Cllr Alf Dewis and seconded by Cllr Mrs Joyce Lucas at the
meeting held on Wednesday 2nd March 2011
Councillor Alf Dewis reported on the:
Rutland Broadband Summit
Leading broadband providers from around the country converged on Oakham last week as Rutland County Council's project to improve broadband speeds across the county gathered pace.The council is currently looking for a business partner to help deliver faster broadband speeds to homes and businesses in towns and villages across Rutland.
Chief Executive of Rutland County Council, Helen Briggs, says: “We are currently going through a tender process to identify a partner for the Digital Rutland project. This is open to any business that thinks they can work with the council to deliver high speed broadband to homes and businesses across the county”.
Helen Briggs added, “Some of our villages struggle to get a half-decent download speed which in this day and age is a real constraint. Low download speeds stop residents doing things many of us take for granted such as watching television online or downloading music tracks. For a local business, it can make the different between being able to trade competitively or not”.
A number of high profile local and national broadband providers attended the Broadband Summit on Friday 11 March at Rutland County Museum.
Display stands provided more information about the products that each broadband provider currently offers and following two presentations from the council, a question and answer session took place.
The event was also attended by a number of local organisations including voluntary groups, town/parish council representatives and interested members of the community.
The Digital Rutland project aims to provide minimum download speeds of:
• 10Mbps to 95% of businesses (with 80% achieving minimum 25Mbps)
• 10Mbps to 85% of households (with 75% achieving minimum 25Mbps)
The overall aim of the Digital Rutland project is to deliver much faster broadband to towns and villages across the county by 2012/13.
The council is currently waiting to hear if a bid for £1.6 million to the Regional Growth Fund has been successful and further applications for funding are due to be made in the coming months.
The was some mention of this creating extra employment. It appeared Councillors felt the figures were a little high.
The Clerk gave his report – For information only once again comments were allowed.
DEPUTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC
Members of the Public were invited to address the meeting
I spoke about the Cory Contract and my concern it was being suggested the contract was not looked at by the councils solicitor due to the cost. I was told the Council would not risk public money. It later became clear when the item was discussed the contract had never been checked by a solicitor and was a amended one used with Vale.
The Chairman’s Fund will be closed and a separate Cost Centre
created to bring any expenditure incurred by the Chairman in the course of
their duties into the Council’s main accounts. Cllr Dewis said he never understood why this account existed. When I was a Councillor I asked a question about this account and was fobbed off.
The following amounts will also
be brought back into the
Council’s main account:
(a) Oakham Town Partnership Signage Project - £3000
(b) Bus Shelters - £1300
(c) Skatepark - £1750
CONTRACT WITH CORY ENVIRONMENTAL
All councillors decided to approve changes and to decided to authorise the signing
and sealing of the Contract subject to it being checked by a solicitor. I see the clerk taking sick leave if things keep improving in this way.
Cllr Dewis also proposed the Clerk should let the councillors know when all the contract were due and not leave them till the last minute. The sort of thing I would have asked and would have been called a bully by the clerk.
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION POPPY PARTY SUNDAY 12TH JUNE 2011
It was agreed the council would pay £300 for a bouncy castle.
It is hoped the remainder of Carnival Funds could be used to fund additional family fun on at this event.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Oakham Town Council considered the following planning applications received and agreed on
comments and observations to be made to Rutland County Council:
(i) APP/2011/0031/APB Mr Mike Ashton
Construction of two storey extension to rear (south) elevation, raising of roof
height to match extension and construction of carport to side (east) elevation
51 Stamford Road
This was approved
(ii) APP/2011/0077/DTR Mr Michael Reynolds
Reduce height of 1 No. chimney
5 Alwyne Close
Cllr Charles Haworth made a sensible proposal this was rejected by members and the application was approved.
(iii) APP/2011/0104/NT Mr R Bland
Construction of first floor extension to front (southeast) elevation of
dwellinghouse over existing porch
2 Trent Road
Not approved for various reasons including "the lack of space to bend down and pick up soap"
(iv) APP/2011/0130/DTR Mr G Bewley
Renovation of damaged brickwork to west elevation
78 High Street
Approved subject to the bricks matching.
(v) APP/2010/0122/NT Mr William Kirton
Outline application for construction of detached single storey dwelling
32 Braunston Road
approved
EXEMPT ITEMS
To decide whether to exclude the Press and Public, under Section 1(2) of the Public
Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, during consideration of Items 18, 19 and
20 on the agenda due to the confidential nature of the matters to be discussed
The Chairman Cllr Mark Woodcock appeared to not be happy these items had been grouped together, the public was excluded.
FLORAL DISPLAYS The contract for the Town’s floral displays for one year was granted to Ashwell Garden Centre.
WATERING The contract for the watering of the Town’s floral displays was awarded to a different company
COMPLAINT Councillors received a report on a complaint received and made appropriate decisions and they Clerk will be writing to the lady.
