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Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
19th September 2011
Rosie McConachie
Acting County Secretary
LRALC
Jubilee Hall
Stadon Road
Anstey
LE7 7AY
Dear Rosie
A member of the Council has raised concerns about the disposal of monies from the Oakham Carnival
Committee.
The background to this is that in January 2010 Oakham Town Council granted £2500 to the Oakham
Carnival Committee under Section 144 of the Local Government Act 1972. This was as part sponsorship
of the Oakham Carnival and Fun Day that was subsequently held in June 2010 and was used to pay for
entertainers on the day. The accounts submitted by the Carnival (copy enclosed) in support of a grant
application for the 2011 event show that a sum in excess of this was spent on entertainers in 2010.
The 2011 Grant Application was subsequently refused by Oakham Town Council, the Carnival
Committee eventually folded and no event was held in 2011. However, it was decided at some point by
the Carnival Committee that the surplus funds they had over from the 2010 event (some £1188) would be
spent on a television to be donated to Rutland Memorial Hospital for use by patients and that the
remainder should be donated to the local Air Ambulance Service.
The member maintains that these funds should have been returned to Oakham Town Council and that the
Carnival Committee has acted illegally by choosing to dispose of the funds in the way described above.
The member contends that the funds should have been specifically used for the benefit of the people of
Oakham.
The Council has never asked for any of its contribution back from the Carnival Committee. However, the
question is whether the Council is entitled to do so, bearing in mind that the money has now been spent
and any such request would have to be directed at the members of the Committee at the time the decision
was taken to dispose of surplus funds.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Kind regards
Richard
Note How the Clerk fails to mention the Air Ambulance is not a Oakham Charity.
Also he quotes Local Government Act 1972. Something he has a clear knowledge of this law but whenever he discusses this matter with me he, places the burden of proof on me. He does this so often. We overpay him to know the law, its not a Councillors duty to know all aspects of the law if it was we would not need to employ him.
For two long now this Council has done want it wants and spends public money as it pleases and the Clerk has supported them as they have made my life very difficult over the last two years for pointing this out very publicly.
There has been a slight improvement recently because there was a time when the Clerk would not have been able to send a letter like this.
