I think it is important for the Oakham tax payers to see how much time and effort is put into attempting to remove me from this shoddy council.
They or their supporters send me vile and offensive post complaining I waste tax payers money. Does the tax pay know how much their continued complaints cost? thousands.
The council clearly has a lot to hide.
You will see Cllr Nowell is a rather forgetful or is a liar. We had coffee in the Chocolate Box Cafe and he told me the Clerk is overpaid and the council was corrupt, I don't lie.
I thank the Councillor who sent me the email and letter. They long for a council that serves the tax payer and stops playing this very childish game. Oops I mentioned child! surely that will provoke another nasty letter?
Cllr Dewis talks of honesty note his email address a company that was dissolved in 2009 surely its not honest to continue to use the name and pretend you are still as important as you thought you were?
The policy group he refers to is made up of him Cllr Adam Lowe who writes to me calling me a prat!
and Cllr Charles Haworth who spits in my face in a fit of anger "you are insane and I will see you never get back into this chamber before I returned in May.
They are the bullies in my mind.
I think I forgot to mention how close Alf is to Conservative Councillor Terry King the deputy leader of Rutland County Councillor. He is the one who sent me very rude e-mails.
From: Alf Dewis [mailto:alf@alfdewisconsultancy.co.uk]
Sent: 07 October 2011 16:25
To: 'Charles Haworth'; 'Joyce Lucas'; 'JohnNowell'; 'Adam Lowe'; 'Rob Guthrie'; jayne6@btinternet.com; 'Peter Lockett'; 'Maureen Dodds'; 'Chris Hopkin'
Subject: Standards Complaint - Cllr Brookes
Colleagues
During an informal discussion at the last Policy and Procedures Working Group it was felt by those attending that an email sent by Cllr Brookes should be the subject of a formal complaint to the Rutland County Council Standards Committee and that, if they so wished, all councillors should have the opportunity to sign the complaint. I was asked to draft that letter of complaint which is attached together with the offending email.
New members may not be familiar with the standards framework. It is a process where councillors, officers or members of the public may make complaints against councillors for breaching the Councillor’s Code of Conduct. The first stage is a referral to the Standards Committee, who at the moment, have only the power to admonish or suspend for a short period. If they think the complaint warrants more serious action they may refer it to Standards for England who have the ultimate power of exclusion via the First Tier Tribunal (part of the Court and Tribunal Service). The Government have announced they intend to abolish Standards for England when the Localism Bill is due to be enacted, possibly in November. We await the new arrangements.
If you wish your name to be appended to the complaint please let me know by 6pm on Tuesday 11th October. If I do not hear from you your name will not appear.
I will then have the final complaint letter for signing at Council on Wednesday.
I wait to hear from you.
Regards
Alf
Please use this address for correspondence:
c/o Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall
39 High Street
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6AH
12 October 2011
Mr G Pook
Monitoring Officer
Rutland County Council
Catmose
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6HP
Dear Sir
Standards Complaint – Cllr M Brookes, Oakham Town Council
The undersigned councillors of Oakham Town Council wish to lodge a complaint under the Standards Framework against Cllr M Brookes for breaching the Councillor’s Code of Conduct that was adopted by the Council.
Cllr Brookes sent an email on 20 September 2011 to a wide distribution list that included the press, Oakham Town Councillors, Rutland County Councillors, LRAC, police, the Court Service and the MP (copy attached).
It is the contention of the undersigned that Cllr Brookes breached paragraph 3(1) (Treating others with respect), paragraphs 3(2)(b) and 3(2)(c) (Bullying and Intimidation) and paragraph 5 (Bringing the Council into Disrepute) of the Code of Conduct .
1. Paragraph 3(1) “Treating Others with Respect”.
In the email Cllr Brookes stated that the Town Clerk was over paid and his post only warranted a part time position. He also suggested that the Town Clerk be made redundant and replaced on a part time basis by the Assistant Clerk.
If Cllr Brookes thought that the Town Clerk was over paid and the post not worthy of a full time position he should have raised the issue confidentially so that the remaining councillors could have considered his proposal. Instead, he transmitted his views, without discussion, to a wide audience.
When the Town Clerk read the email it would have caused him great concern as he has a family and career dependant upon the post he holds. Any proposal to make employees redundant is a sensitive process that needs to be handled with care and consideration and not broadcasted far and wide.
2. Paragraphs 3(2)(b) and 3(2)(c) “Bullying and Intimidation”
It is the contention that this email is a continuation of the bullying of the Town Clerk by Cllr Brookes. In 2010, the Town Clerk raised a grievance against Cllr Brookes because of the continuous intimidation and harassment he was under which the Town Clerk considered was bullying. Oakham Town Council attempted to separate the two parties whilst an investigation took place. During the investigation Cllr Brookes resigned and the Town Clerk subsequently withdrew the complaint.
Recently Cllr Brookes raised a complaint against the Town Clerk. The Council has set up an investigatory panel and the complaint is in the process of being investigated. It is the view of the undersigned members that Cllr Brookes has attempted to ‘raise the temperature’ by this email to put more pressure on the Town Clerk and is therefore attempting to bully, harass and intimidate him again.
3. Paragraph 5 “Bringing the Council into Disrepute”
Cllr Brookes states in the email that the Assistant Clerk said to him, “I know you are not stupid, it’s hard for me, they make me lie to you all the time” and named the Chairman, Clerk and others. The Assistant Clerk categorically denies making this statement.
Also in the email, Cllr Brookes states that Cllr Nowell agreed with him that the Clerk is overpaid and a full time position is not required. Cllr Nowell also categorically denies making such a statement or giving such an indication to Cllr Brookes.
These two false statements indicate to the complainants that Cllr Brookes is twisting comments and views to support the position he is attempting to promote and is embellishing points to aid this proposal.
Councillors have a responsibility to represent their electorate and to put forward points of view and propositions truthfully on their behalf. The Council and its councillors will be brought into disrepute if individual councillors fail to represent their electorate faithfully and accurately and are found to be twisting facts to meet their own objectives rather than those raised by the electorate.
It is the view of the undersigned councillors that Cllr Brookes has demonstrated that his fitness for public office is in question. We therefore request that the Rutland County Council Standards Committee consider this complaint at the earliest opportunity.
Yours faithfully
