Oakham Town Council Co-option
Following the recent Local Government Elections Oakham Town Council is seeking to increase its representation in the four electoral wards in Oakham. The Council currently has six vacancies for Councillors as follows:
Oakham North East – 2 vacancies
Oakham North West – 1 vacancy
Oakham South East – 1 vacancy
Oakham South West – 2 vacancies
The Council is therefore seeking to co-opt new members.
Members of the public who wish to join the Council should send their applications, which may include a CV, to Oakham Town Council, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH.
The closing date for applications is 1st July 2011.
Interviews will take place on the evening of the 6th July 2011 and appropriate decisions on the co-options will also be made on that evening.
Further information on the role of a Town Councillor is available, on request, from the Clerk to the Council Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH,
by telephone on 01572 723627 or via e-mail at
Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
A Letter From Mrs Lucas person in charge of the council
On behalf of Oakham Town Council, I would like to thank you for your interest regarding the current vacancies on the Council
Please find below an overall view of the role of both the Council and that of a Town Councillor.
There are also details of the co-option process and the criteria for being co-opted on to the Council
WHAT IS THE TOWN COUNCIL AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
For electoral purposes Oakham is divided into four Wards. These are Oakham North East, Oakham North West, Oakham South East and Oakham South West. The town is split by the railway line running from north to south. To the west the town is split by Braunston Road to form Oakham North West and Oakham South West. To the east a line running from South Street and then along Mill Street and Burley Road forms Oakham North East and Oakham South East The Town Council is made up of three Councillors from each of these Wards – 12 in total.
Oakham Town Council owns, manages and maintains two open spaces within the town. These are Cutts Close and Royces Playing Field. It also has a long lease on the Willow Crescent Play Area. In addition it owns four areas of allotments, namely Kilburn Road, Burley Road, Elm Close and Willow Crescent. These are managed on the Town Council’s behalf by three Allotment Societies who each pay an annual rent. The Town Council also owns the land at the Vale which is occupied by Oakham Tennis Club and Oakham Bowls Club. Again these pay an annual rent as does the Fitness Centre situated on Royces Playing Field. Finally Rutland House Community Trust Limited leases an area of land at the Willow Crescent Allotments which contains their buildings. The Council is also responsible for the management and maintenance of the Public Toilets in Church Street Car Park and also maintains All Saints Churchyard.
The Council has an annual budget of approximately £210K and endeavours to maintain a reserve balance of £40K. This money is mainly raised through the Precept which forms part of the Annual Council Tax Demand. In 2010 - 2011 there were just over 4013 Council Tax Band D equivalent properties in Oakham and the precept was just over £52 per household.
Some money is also raised through rental income and bank interest although the return from the latter of these is now severely diminished due to the current low interest rates. Throughout the year the Council pays for such things as the hanging baskets during the summer and for the Christmas decorations. A significant sum is also spent on grounds maintenance and maintenance of the various play areas owned by the Council. Annual grants are also currently awarded to three organisations; these are the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Oakham Festival and Oakham in Bloom.
The role of the Council is very much about working in partnership with other organisations.
The Town Council worked with Rutland County Council to bring new public toilets to Oakham and is represented on the Oakham Town Partnership which is currently engaged in working on a long term strategy for the improvement of the West End of Oakham and traffic management within the town
The daily affairs of the Council are managed by a full time Clerk and an Assistant Clerk based at the Town Council offices situated in the Victoria Hall. These are the only employed staff with all other work undertaken by contractors. The Clerk is responsible for ensuring that decisions made by the Council are legal and, although an integral part of the Council, should be regarded as independent from it.
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
Essentially it is the role of a Town Councillor to suggest ideas, engage in constructive debate, respond to the needs and views of the Community, represent constituents, comment on proposals and help the Council to make decisions. The position is bound by statutory regulations and the conduct of a Councillor can be called into question by another member of the Council, an officer of the Council or a member of the public and reported. It is therefore vital that Councillors are familiar with the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007. The government has, however, stated that the current regime by which standards in public life is monitored is to be abolished.
The position of Town Councillor is an unpaid voluntary one and does make demands on a person’s time. No allowances are paid to members of Oakham Town Council apart from the Chairman. Expenses incurred when attending such things as training sessions or conferences are reimbursed at a nationally agreed rate provided that attendance at the event has been previously authorised by the Council. However, expenses are not paid for attendance at meetings of the Council or its Committees.
Oakham Town Council meets monthly, usually on the second Wednesday of the month at its offices in the Victoria Hall. Meetings generally start at 7.00pm and can last for up to 2 hours. The Council considers policy decisions relating to its role. However, there are other Committees that also meet, usually on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Conduct at all meetings is governed by the Council’s Standing Orders which are reviewed periodically
Please note that the Council will be reviewing its Committee structure as soon as possible
Currently, the Planning and General Purposes Committee meets monthly and considers planning applications and any other matters that the Chairman considers appropriate. The Town Council is a “statutory consultee” on planning applications and therefore receives copies of all planning applications within the Oakham town boundary. Although the final decision on any planning application is made by Rutland County Council, the Town Council makes its own observations and recommendations that can then be taken into account. There has been a number of high profile planning applications in recent months involving Tescos, the Hawksmead development to the North West of Oakham, the Jeakins Weir application on Uppingham Road and the Sainsbury’s application.
The Parks and Recreation Committee also usually meets monthly and concentrates on matters relating to the open spaces owned by the Council. However, this committee has met infrequently over the last year with many of the decisions relating to open spaces being made by the Council itself
Currently, all councillors sit on both of these committees.
These two committees have delegated powers and may also make recommendations that are then further considered by the Town Council. Although this may mean some duplication it does provide an opportunity to consider issues for a second time in order that a more informed decision can be made.
A Staffing Committee usually meets quarterly to discuss and make recommendations on issues connected with the employed staff. This committee has no delegated powers unless otherwise decided by the Council.
Working Groups are also appointed at appropriate times to look at specific issues and any recommendations are then considered by the Council.
Members of the public are entitled to attend all meetings of the Council and its Committees but may be excluded if the matter to be discussed is considered to be confidential. This usually relates to staffing issues or legal matters.
All Councillors are aware that robust debate on matters placed before the Council is part of the overall democratic process. It is unreasonable to expect that all Councillors will agree on everything. Members of the Council are free to vote any way they please on any matter and do not have to justify to other members why they voted a particular way. Members are expected to accept the Council’s decision on any particular issue even if it conflicts with their personal views.
The Council is not divided along party political lines.
Agendas and minutes from all recent meetings of the Council and its Committees are available to view on the Council’s website at www.oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk. The minutes, once signed, are the official and legal record of a particular meeting and members are requested not to publish their own version in any medium. The website also contains other information about the Council and its role within the Community. If you only have limited or no internet access then please contact the Clerk to the Council who will supply information on request.
Town Councillors receive information from the Clerk regarding agenda items and may also receive other documents of interest from time to time. The information enables the Councillors to make an objective and informed decision. It is important that Councillors approach contentious issues with an open mind and consider all aspects of any discussion before making any decisions. Councillors should also be aware that under no circumstances are they to act unilaterally. This can be difficult when an acquaintance, knowing that a person is a Town Councillor, makes a suggestion that seems perfectly reasonable. Making promises or assurances to constituents or others can cause problems ranging from slight embarrassment to accusations that a Councillor has acted beyond their authority or even brought the Council into disrepute. The proper procedure is to relay information to the Clerk or Chairman and any decision relating to the issue will then be made by the Town Council or one of its Committees.
When communicating with other agencies it is important that you state in which capacity you are acting. Unless you are stating the agreed view of the Town Council you should always ensure that it is known that you are acting as a member of the public. Matters involving confidential information should never be discussed outside the Council Chamber. This may involve matters relating to the employed staff of the Council and commercially sensitive issues such as tenders for Contracts.
Members of the Council are all aware that the employed members of staff have the same rights as any other employee of a Local Authority and matters such as contracts, salaries and appraisals are not to be discussed publicly. All members of the Council are, in fact, the employers and must therefore have regard to all employment legislation in their contact with the employed staff.
A Councillor may also be appointed to represent the Town Council on a number of outside bodies. Their role here is to state the Town Council’s position if one is known but primarily involves reporting back on any meetings to the Council. Again it is important not to state personal opinions that may be construed as the Council’s views on the matter. It is anticipated that the Council will also be reviewing its representation on these outside bodies.
If a person is successful in becoming a Town Councillor they will be asked to sign both a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and complete a Register of Member’s Interests. These are then lodged with the Monitoring Officer at Rutland County Council. This is to help ensure that the new Councillor adheres to the proper standards required of the position.
The Council has completed a number of projects recently. These are:
- Provision of new Bus Shelters in partnership with Rutland County
- Installation of new lighting in Cutts Close
- Renovation of Bandstand in Cutts Close
- New play equipment at Royces Playing Field for 9-13 year olds as part of the Playbuilder Project in partnership with Rutland County Council.
- Improvements to Allotment Areas
- Introduction of new seating in Cutts Close
- Submission of Green Flag application for Cutts Close
- New play equipment for older children in Cutts Close
Over the last few years the Council has also:
- Contributed £40000 to the building of the new toilet facility in Church Street Car Park. It now manages and maintains these. The toilets were awarded Five Stars in last years Loo of the Year Competition
- Provided the new toddlers’ play area in Cutts Close at a cost of £67000
- Worked closely with young people regarding funding for the skatepark in Cutts Close
- Provided lighting on the approach to the Willowbrook facility
The Town Council faces many challenges in the coming years. Cuts in Local Government spending, although not directly affecting the Town Council, may mean that additional responsibilities will be added as Rutland County Council looks to devolve certain of its operations down to a more local level. Other issues could concern the current government’s “Big Society” initiative.
The forthcoming development of over 1000 houses to the north west of the town will present both opportunities and issues and the Town Council has asked to be involved in the ongoing discussions regarding this.
In addition the forthcoming closure of RAF Cottesmore will and HMP Ashwell is also a factor in the ongoing economic development of the town. The proposed re-generation of the West End of Oakham is also being re-assessed as funding will now have to come primarily through developer contributions rather than from Central Government. A consultation on proposals will be taking place after the Local Government elections.
There is also an ongoing debate on parking provision within the town. Although nothing has yet been decided the possibility that the Car Parks will be subsidised, or even operated, by the Town Council in the future cannot be ruled out.
The position of Town Councillor is a chance for interested persons to become involved in the decision making process that affects the town of Oakham. It is in turn both demanding and rewarding and offers the opportunity to make a positive impact on the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
The Co-option Process
Following the recent Local Government elections, the Town Council currently has six vacancies across the four electoral wards in Oakham. The Council is therefore seeking to fill these by co-opting new members.
There is a specific process for this which is outlined below:
- Prospective candidates are asked to write to the Council explaining why they wish to be co-opted. This application may include a CV and any details that the applicant thinks appropriate.
This will be copied to all members of the Council.
- The closing date for applications is 1st July 2011
- All candidates will be invited to an interview with members of the Council. These interviews will take place on the evening of 6th July 2011.
- A decision on who the Council wishes to co-opt will also be made on the evening of the 6th July 2011.
- Prospective candidates are not permitted to attempt to canvass members of the Council with regard to their application. Members will report any such attempt to the Chairman who will then instruct the Clerk to write to the candidate stating that they will no longer be considered.
- There are also criteria that must be satisfied before a member of the public can be co-opted which are detailed below
Candidates must be at least 18 years old on the day they sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office (in reality this means that candidates must be 18 on the 6th July 2011 since this is the day on which it will be decided who is co-opted and successful candidates may sign their Declaration at that point)
In addition the candidate must be a British citizen, a qualifying commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union.
Candidates for co-option must all meet at least one of the following criteria:
a) The person must be a registered elector for the parish or ward.
b) The person must have lived in the parish or ward for the whole of the preceding 12 months or within 3 miles of the parish boundary
c) The person must have occupied land in the parish or ward either as a tenant or owner for the whole of the preceding 12 months
d) The person must have had their principal place of work in the parish or ward for the preceding 12 months.
e) The person should also not be disqualified for election under Section 80 of the Local Government Act 1972. Broadly, this relates to holding a paid office under the Town Council, i.e. the Clerk cannot be a Councillor, bankruptcy, having been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 3 months without the option of a fine during the 5 years preceding the co-option, or being disqualified under any other enactment.
Please ring the Town Council on 01572 723627 or e-mail enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk if any further information is required.
Once again, on behalf of Oakham Town Council, I thank you for your time and interest.
Yours sincerely
Cllr Mrs Joyce Lucas
Chairman of the Council
