A meeting of Oakham Town Council Wednesday 12th September 2012 Agenda

Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk

A MEETING OF
OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2012 AT 7.30PM
AT THE OFFICES OF OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL,
VICTORIA HALL, 39 HIGH STREET, OAKHAM

AGENDA

1. APOLOGIES - Standing Order 1(u)
(i) To receive apologies for absence
(ii) To decide whether to approve absences

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are asked to declare:
(i) Any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest they may have in respect to items on the
agenda
(ii) Any other interest they may have in respect to items on the agenda
Members are also reminded to inform the Clerk of any changes in their Register of
Members’ Interests

3. MINUTES (Appendix A)
To confirm the minutes of the Meeting of Oakham Town Council held on Wednesday
8th August 2012

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)

5. ITEMS OUTSTANDING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS
To consider items outstanding from previous meetings

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)

7. CLERK’S REPORT – For information only
To receive a report from the Clerk

8. 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)

9. FREEDOM OF ENTRY TO OAKHAM - ST GEORGES BARRACKS
(Appendix B)

To discuss and make appropriate decisions relating to the matter
(i) To consider a report and to decide whether to approve the following
resolution:
“In due consideration of the long standing association of over 70 years
between the military base at North Luffenham and the Town of Oakham
and the service that members of the armed forces located at that base have
performed both for their country and the Town of Oakham that Oakham
Town Council is both pleased and proud to grant the honour of Freedom of
Entry to the Town to St. George’s Barracks”.
(ii) To allow the Working Group to continue to make arrangements for the event

10. TOWN CAROL SERVICE 2012 – Cllr Alf Dewis (Appendix C)
To receive an update from the Chairman

I am looking forward to see what Cllr Dewis has to say about this, in the past this has not been 
an agenda item and often used by Mayors like Cllr Joyce Lucas to hold a private booze fuelled 
party paid for by the tax payer.

11. CIVIC RECEPTION 2012– Cllr Alf Dewis (Appendix D)
To receive a report from the Chairman

I find the next item interesting the mob at Oakham Town Council will often publicly say I am wrong when I point out issues and they attempt to implement changes as if it was due to their own findings.

The Finances at Oakham Town Council have been a issue for a long time. Recently this was exposed by the Clerks terrible presentation of the accounts and the issue of the withdrawal of accounts because of his failure to disclose council reserves. Instead of setting up a working group the Council needs to recognise it over pays the Clerk to produce accounts he is not qualified to produce.

12. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
WORKING GROUP
(i) To agree the formation of a new Finance Working Group and to agree on its
membership and terms of reference. (Appendix E)
(ii) To approve the Financial Reserves Policy (Appendix F)


iii) To approve the revised Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures (Appendix G)

The Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures is what Inspector Mystry wrongly refers to 
when dealing with the grant application placed before the council by Cllr John  Nowell
the council has no powers to discipline a councillor.

13. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS (Appendix H)
To decide whether to approve the Schedule of Payments for the period
1st August 2012 – 31st August 2012

14. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS (Appendix I)
To decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts to 31st August 2012

It is no surprise the following items will be exempt. I would like to think Oakham Town
Council will raise the rent to a market value for the bowls club. I am sure it won't.
The club like the tennis club pays the public peanuts for  a valuable asset. Each year
we are told by the clerk the council hands are tied by the terms of the lease. Nowe is the chance
to change this.

Of course they won't because the chairman of the club is a close friend of many members of the council.

He is also a former Mayor and Conservative County Councillor.

15. EXEMPT ITEMS
To decide whether to exclude the Public and Press under Section 2 of the Public
Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 during consideration of Items 16 and 17
on the Agenda due to the sensitive nature of the matters to be discussed

16. OAKHAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB (Appendix J)
To consider a request from the Club to extend its lease and to make any decisions as
appropriate

17. RUTLAND HOUSE COMMUNITY TRUST Ltd. (Appendix K)
To consider a request from the Trust relating to changes in its lease with Oakham
Town Council and to make any decisions as appropriate
Richard White
Clerk to the Council
6th September 2012