Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
A MEETING OF
OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY 11TH JULY 2012 AT 7.00PM
AT THE OFFICES OF OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL,
VICTORIA HALL, 39 HIGH STREET, OAKHAM
Report
1. APOLOGIES - Standing Order 1(u)
(i) To receive apologies for absence
(ii) To decide whether to approve absences
apologies were received from Cllr Lockett
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members are asked to declare any interest they may have in respect to items on the
agenda
There were none
3. MINUTES
To confirm the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Oakham Town Council held on
Wednesday 13th June 2012 (Appendix A)
These were confirmed
4. COUNCILLOR’S QUESTIONS
To answer questions previously notified to the Clerk under Standing Order 8
(Members note that 72 hours notice is now required)
There were none
5. ITEMS OUTSTANDING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS
To consider items outstanding from previous meetings
Nothing outstanding
6. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER’S REPORTS
To receive a report from the Chairman on functions attended and to receive reports
from Members who have attended meetings on behalf of Oakham Town Council
(Members intending to report should inform the Clerk prior to the meeting)
Cllr Dodds gave written to members only highlighting issues raised at a recent surgery she held.
She also read a letter from residents living nearby the Merry Monk public house.
Residents are concerned about the increased levels of anti social behaviour associated with
late night drinking and noise from the establishment.
Music can be heard some streets away from the establishment in the early hours of the morning.
She also reported about Victoria Hall and finished with a report about Voluntary Action Rutland and included how it is becoming increasingly difficult for the organisation to provide essential services due to
funding cuts.
Cllr Lucas reported on various meetings she had attended, One being about Health and Wellbeing stating she did not see or hear anything different from what she already knew.
She then reported on the Oakham Festival, they are still solvent and pleased with the whole event.
Mayor Cllr Dewis listed events he was pleased to have attended.
7. REGISTER OF MEMBER’S INTERESTS
Members are asked to inform the Clerk of any changes in their Register of Member’s
Interests.
There were no changes
8. CLERK’S REPORT – For information only
To receive a report from the Clerk
This was received
9. DEPUTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC
Members of the Public are invited to address the meeting in accordance with
procedures laid down in Standing Orders 1(d) – 1(i)
I raised my concerns about the account and the reserves
10. GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT (Appendix B)
To decide on arrangements for the advertising of tenders for a new grounds
maintenance contract to run from April 1st 2013
The council agreed to work on agreeing a 3 year contract
with the current contractor.
This will include extra litter picking
Once a meeting has been arranged the result of that meeting with the contractor
will be passed back to the full council who will then decide if they will agree the
new contract or go out to tender.
11. WEBSITE (Appendix C)
The Clerk has decided the councils website is rubbish.
Oakham Town Council - Serving the residents of Oakham
www.oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/
Welcome to the home page of Oakham Town Council's website. Situated in the picturesque Vale of Catmose Oakham Town Council
This is the second time the matter has been brought before council last time the council was told Millennium
Computers would charge £10000 to revamp the site.
The council asked the Clerk to go away and look into the possibility of using Leicestershire Councils site.
members at the time were unaware that a search on-line reveals the Clerk had previously started building on this site.
Oakham Town Council - Home Page
oakham.leicestershireparishcouncils.org/
Oakham Town Council. Serving the people of Oakham. Clerk: Richard White Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH. Tel: 01572 723627
The council gave the clerk permission to go ahead with the above.
Some members were not happy that the site owners were refusing to add Rutland Councils in the title.
The council will pay Millennium Computers £120 a year to host its domain name and visitors will be forwarded to the Leicestershire Councils site. The use of this site will cost the council £360 a year.
12. RECISSION OF PREVIOUS DECISIONS
To resolve to Suspend Standing Order 11 in respect of Item 13 on the agenda
13. DEED OF EASEMENT (Appendix D)
To consider a report and to make a further decision as appropriate
Oakham Town Council Dead of Easement Cllr John Nowells costly mistake
Oakham Town Council Dead of Easement Beech Road Oakham Cllr John Nowells costly mistake.
Earlier this year Oakham Town Councillor John Nowell assisted a resident in his road to obtain a Deed of Easement over land they believed belonged to Oakham Town Council.
At a council meeting on the 23rd May 2012 he failed to declare an interest in the matter.
The council decided to grant access, late in the day advice was sort from the Councils solicitor who
told the council it was proper and correct to draw up a legal Deed of Easement. Despite this the deputy chair of planning felt there was no need and a informal agreement would do.
At This Wednesdays meeting the Clerk will be asking Councillors to rescind the previous decision,
The reason being in the Clerks own words "The issue, quite simple, was that the proposed access to the
resident's property did not appear to be on land owned by Oakham Town Council". (Report No: TC/009/12 Appendix: D Agenda item 13.
There is no doubt this is the case, because.as part of the solicitors preparation Title Documents were obtained from the Land Registry.
Back in May the resident agreed and undertook to pay all costs associated in the preparation of the agreement. I can only assume the resident is likely to rescind that agreement and the poor Oakham Tax Payers will have to pay for this mistake.
Earlier this year Oakham Town Councillor John Nowell assisted a resident in his road to obtain a Deed of Easement over land they believed belonged to Oakham Town Council.
At a council meeting on the 23rd May 2012 he failed to declare an interest in the matter.
The council decided to grant access, late in the day advice was sort from the Councils solicitor who
told the council it was proper and correct to draw up a legal Deed of Easement. Despite this the deputy chair of planning felt there was no need and a informal agreement would do.
At This Wednesdays meeting the Clerk will be asking Councillors to rescind the previous decision,
The reason being in the Clerks own words "The issue, quite simple, was that the proposed access to the
resident's property did not appear to be on land owned by Oakham Town Council". (Report No: TC/009/12 Appendix: D Agenda item 13.
There is no doubt this is the case, because.as part of the solicitors preparation Title Documents were obtained from the Land Registry.
Back in May the resident agreed and undertook to pay all costs associated in the preparation of the agreement. I can only assume the resident is likely to rescind that agreement and the poor Oakham Tax Payers will have to pay for this mistake.
14. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS (Appendix E)
To decide whether to approve the Schedule of Payments for the period
1st June 2012 – 29th June 2012
These were accepted
15. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS (Appendix F)
To decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts 29th June 2012
Oakham Town Council Accounts Approval Deferred
Oakham Town Council Accounts Approval Deferred
At this evenings meeting Councillors were due to accept and approve the quarterly statement of accounts.
From previous posts you may have noticed I had raised some questions relating to this statement and received a very unsatisfactory reply from the Clerk.
I also asked where are the reserves of £42,000+ the Clerk claims the council holds. He had not entered these reserves into the statement "because this would exaggerate the councils spending figure"
So far the council has refused to explain this nonsensical explanation.
They also failed to respond to my request asking if this money was deposited in a account not listed on the
statement of accounts.
At tonights meeting when it came to the time for members to consider accepting the accounts, the Mayor Councillor Alf Dewis read a statement, they kindly provided me with a hard copy:.
"Since the agenda was despatched the Clerk has been in consultation with leading members
regarding a number of amendments relating to the Summary of Receipts and Payments. The amendments made are purely for clarification,
It is therefore recommended that the approval of the accounts be deferred until the next meeting of the
Council when members will be asked to decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts for the period June 1st 2012 - July 31st 2012
A report detailing the changes will be prepared for members"
The problem with this statement is the dates, does this mean the council is writing of April - May 2012?
Regular readers will know at lot of my many problems started when I was first critical of the Clerks accounts.
These have been described by new Councillors as difficult to comprehend, perhaps a rather polite way of describing a poor standard of work
When in the past I was critical of the Clerks work he accused me of bullying him. The Judge at the tribunal thankfully ruled against this. I did not want to be tarnished with the same description as the bullies connected to this Council.
I am rather pleased the Town Council now appears to be taking this issue seriously.
The Clerk is clearly numerically challenged, but not when it comes to calculating his remuneration.
Oh silly me! I nearly forgot in May the Council had to pay HMRC for a large underpayment of Tax and NI.
The current Mayor has pledged to cut the councils administration costs. The Clerk possibly being the most expensive Parish Clerk in the land, would be a good starting point.
It was also reported by the Clerk earlier in the meeting the Accounts have been sent to the Councils External Auditor.
At this evenings meeting Councillors were due to accept and approve the quarterly statement of accounts.
From previous posts you may have noticed I had raised some questions relating to this statement and received a very unsatisfactory reply from the Clerk.
I also asked where are the reserves of £42,000+ the Clerk claims the council holds. He had not entered these reserves into the statement "because this would exaggerate the councils spending figure"
So far the council has refused to explain this nonsensical explanation.
They also failed to respond to my request asking if this money was deposited in a account not listed on the
statement of accounts.
At tonights meeting when it came to the time for members to consider accepting the accounts, the Mayor Councillor Alf Dewis read a statement, they kindly provided me with a hard copy:.
"Since the agenda was despatched the Clerk has been in consultation with leading members
regarding a number of amendments relating to the Summary of Receipts and Payments. The amendments made are purely for clarification,
It is therefore recommended that the approval of the accounts be deferred until the next meeting of the
Council when members will be asked to decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts for the period June 1st 2012 - July 31st 2012
A report detailing the changes will be prepared for members"
The problem with this statement is the dates, does this mean the council is writing of April - May 2012?
Regular readers will know at lot of my many problems started when I was first critical of the Clerks accounts.
These have been described by new Councillors as difficult to comprehend, perhaps a rather polite way of describing a poor standard of work
When in the past I was critical of the Clerks work he accused me of bullying him. The Judge at the tribunal thankfully ruled against this. I did not want to be tarnished with the same description as the bullies connected to this Council.
I am rather pleased the Town Council now appears to be taking this issue seriously.
The Clerk is clearly numerically challenged, but not when it comes to calculating his remuneration.
Oh silly me! I nearly forgot in May the Council had to pay HMRC for a large underpayment of Tax and NI.
The current Mayor has pledged to cut the councils administration costs. The Clerk possibly being the most expensive Parish Clerk in the land, would be a good starting point.
It was also reported by the Clerk earlier in the meeting the Accounts have been sent to the Councils External Auditor.
Richard White
Clerk to the Council
5th July 2012
