Oakham Town Council, Dysfunctional, Standards Rutland County Council, Chief Executive

Oakham Town Council, Dysfunctional, Standards Rutland County Council, Chief Executive

When the complaints were piling up at Rutland County Council against me, last June the Chief Executive Helen Briggs The Chief Executive explained that the amount of complaints received relating to Oakham Town Council was unprecedented and she expressed concern that the number was likely to rise at least until the earlier complaints had been progressed through the system. Additionally, community disquiet regarding the reputation of Oakham, Rutland and the impact on local business had been highlighted which had resulted in added pressure to expedite these complaints. In doing so the Committee would have the full support of the County Council.

Information taken from Rutland County Council minutes this shows the The Chief Executive may have been supporting ex Councillors with their goal to remove me. I read this as if you don't  hurry up and dump all the files at the door of Standards of England they will keep complaining. A clear indication the Chief Executive possibly involved her self in local politics.

She did not stop there she was even suggested Rutland County Council took some sort of unilateral action against the dysfunctional town council.

She was of course stopped in her tracks.

Members were advised that the County Council could not simply intervene when it became apparent that the Town Council was not functioning fully effectively.

Standards for England (SfE) could direct the County Council to take particular action if it believed there was significant dysfunction in the Town Council.

It was asked if this issue was unprecedented across the country. The Monitoring Officer advised that was not the case confirming that another Council within England had received 416 complaints from one Parish regarding an individual and had also been required to follow the recommended process of assessment.

In terms of resources being absorbed by these particular complaints, significant Officer hours were continuing to be logged. This was resulting in at least one person working day per week taking into consideration the previous two months.

Concern was raised that, despite complaints being grouped together and responded to, they continue to be received. It was asked how it was proposed to stop them and also if a standard response could be drafted for certain recurring complaints. It was advised that these issues would be addressed within the exempt session.