Oakham Town Council Meeting Report Wednesday 8th August 2012

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 8TH AUGUST 2012 AT 7.30PM
AT THE OFFICES OF OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL,
VICTORIA HALL, 39 HIGH STREET, OAKHAM
Report

One of the frustrating things about Oakham Town Council is the regular pre meetings held
behind locked doors, I do hope there is never a fiire iin Victoria whilst they conduct these
meetings. Sometimes these are presentations fro developer who want to win over the council
before they consider a planning application giving them rather more time than any member of the
public is permitted in a meeting.

Others times it is  called a briefing were the chairman goes through the agenda so when the meeting
commences there is often no comment or debate on agenda items.

apologies for absence were received from Cllr Nowell and Cllr Joyce Lucas
members approved absences with one comment and objection  from Cllr Dodds
she raised the issue of Cllr Nowells poor attendance and was quickly shut up by the Clerk
and Chairman.

Clllr Nowell's attendance has noticeably been erratic since a report was lodge with the
police about his mistake of putting a fraudulent grant application before the council.
Fortunately for Mr Nowell he has good contacts who understand he is prone to making
this sort of mistake and decided to take no action against him. The local police inspector
suggests incorrectly in writing the Town Council can deal with him. I have asked Leicestershire
Constabulary which lodge does the Inspector belong to? Is it the same as the one Cllr Nowell
claim to belong to in members interest register?

Mr Nowell has a lot of commitments, attending lodge meetings and charity work maybe the time
has come for him to decide where he would like to concentrate his efforts clearly the council
commitment is suffering, I would not want to think his charity work was suffering due to his
commitment to serve the local community on the council.

Members were asked to declare any interest they may have in respect to items on the
agenda Cllr Lowe declared an interest in item 16

Members confirm the minutes of the Meeting of Oakham Town Council held on Wednesday
11th July 2012

Members received a report from the Chairman on functions he attended.

7. REGISTER OF MEMBER’S INTERESTS
Members are asked to inform the Clerk of any changes in their Register of Member’s
Interests.

This item was ignored, at deputations I asked why? The Chairman objected to me questioning this.
He thanked me for telling him how to conduct his work.
Just a simple explanation would have helped.
The item was ignored because they no longer need to consider this item at meeting due to the new
code of conduct which was to be adopted later in the meeting

Members receive a report from the Clerk


Members resolved to adopt a new Code of Conduct under the provisions of the Localism Act
2011

Members  approved the Council’s Audit Plan for 2012 - 2013 which included new  scrutiny of the Mayors
expenses to stop a repeat of the formers Mayors booze fuelled private civic reception.
Cllr Dodds was concerned that the enhanced scrutiny might stop a future chairman claiming anything.
Poor Maureen is from the old guard she often fondly repeats "but we always used to do it that way"

We were told we would receive a verbal report from the Chairman this was in the end written and not distributed publicly. We were told the carol concert would return to the parish church. Cllr Dodds expressed her objections and concerns.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 2012 – 2015
Members  considered quotations received and to awarded the contract for the provision of
Oakham’s Christmas displays for the period 2012 – 2015 to LIGHT
The cost has been reduced the purchase of all new lights, test and put up and take down for less than previously charged to put up the old lights that have always looked terrible.

Cllr Jayne Woodock said the public perception of the council was not a good one due to this failing
I would suggest the public's negative perception of the town council stretches far further than the Christmas
lights.

Over the next two year the cost to test, put up and take down the lights will be about 50% cheaper than past
years. I am pleased the council finally listened for calls to obtain quotes.

Sadly they forgot to include the decoration of the Christmas tree.

It was not clear if they decided to agree on coloured or white bulbs for the High Street.

Members considered a report and recommendations and to make appropriate decisions relating
to Oakham Town Council’s future Grounds Maintenance Contract.

Cllr Dodds said its better to stay with a contractor you know rather than tender.

The Chairman Alf Dewis explained  Cory Environmental   had done a good job over the last three years and were
proposing no increase even though the council had asked for extra litter picking days to be carried out in
the church yard.

He influenced members by suggesting if the council tested the market by going to out to tender they might find a cheaper provider who might not do a good job and tendering was a costly exercise, because the Clerk
would have to produce tender documents.

Members agreed to extend the  Cory Environmental  contract

Members agreed  on a suitable scheme of delegation for the period August 9th 2012 –
September 5th 2012 for planning application they agreed the unqualified Clerk will make decisions
and may consult some members during this period. This also gave him powers to decide on other
council matters.

Members were asked to agree on annual rent for
(i) The period 2012 – 2017 for the land on which the Willowbrook facility is
situated  Cllr Lowe had declared an interest so he left the room. This item
does not allow for members to consider they are purely rubber stamping
in accordance with the terms of another of the councils poor drawn leases
the responsibility of the Town Council of past. like all of the public assets
the council leases out such as the Tennis Club and Bowls Club the rent received
is not of a commercial value although all these assets are run for commercial gain
by the tenants.

TOURISM AND PROMOTIONS WORKING GROUP
Members received a report with recommendations from the Group and to make decisions as
appropriate The Group is made up of Cllr Haworth and Lowe.

Cllr Haworth begged for £8000 for a party.

He lied about a budget this was pointed out buy Cllr Guthrie and confirmed by the Clerk.

He was very ungrateful and highly critical of national chains who had sponsored the Jubilee
Party saying there contributions were so small he could do nothing with them.

He said it was highly unlikely he could gain commercial sponsorship.

He bullied Cllr Dodds when she brought up the carnival and how grateful they were for small donations
stating small donation add up to one large donation.

Probably best she forget the carnival after all she wound it up and gave away public money
instead of returning it to the council. Legal advisers said there was nothing the council could do
to reclaim the money because they had given away public money with no terms attached.

Cllr Jayne Woodcock said to Cllr Haworth we thanked you for you work with the Jubilee
party and we don't want a repeat.

The members turned down his request. He was very unhappy.

They did approve another large request for banners, banners and gazebos. He was questioned about quotes
it was clear he was lying as he went on to say of course we did obtain quotes that the working groups job.
There was no evidence of these alternative quotes. He rather defensively state he could go to Corby and buy gazebos for £20 but they would not be branded with the town council name. as the total bill comes to around £3,000 I can only assume he is using a top quality printer.

To appease Cllr Haworth members agreed to revisit the matter at a private meeting to be held later this
month.

Members approved the Schedule of Payments for the period
30th June 2012 – 31st July 2012


Members approved the Statement of Accounts to 31st July 2012
The Clerk made a firm statement which made him look rather stupid, He said the Councils Software
was solely  responsible for what is produced and presented and placed before members.

The way he protests to me suggests there is a bigger underlying problem.

One thing that did become very clear is that the council is now about to pay for the refurbishment
of the gym which has been refurbished with tax payers money to a very high standard and rented to a commercial concern who will pay a rent which will not cover the tax expenditure.

This payment will nearly wipe out the entire sum of council reserves.

Clerk also said the £50,000 loan had been approved for the new toddlers play equipment
for Royce Recreation Ground.

I am sure this will lead to a precept increase next April.