Oakham Town Council Meeting Report Wednesday 12th March 2014
Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
APOLOGIES
Apolagies were received from 4 Town Cllrs,
Cllrs Dodds ill again, hope she is well soon
Cllr Nowell work
Cllr Stubbs to busy to doing something else.
Cllr Charles Haworth a prior commitment. Cllr Lucas appears to have stopped
holding his hand by once again refusing to approve his absence. I do hope she
does not think this wipes her slate clean of any responsibility for the disgusting
conduct led by Haworth and Co which she fully supported.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None were declared.
MINUTES
Previous minutes confirmed
COUNCILLOR’S QUESTIONS
None
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER’S REPORTS
None
CLERK’S REPORT
The Clerk read his report which included.
Oakham Town Council has aquired a lot of cash from the Arts Council £6000 to pay their friend and artist to produce a unwanted murial on Co-op property who had orignaly pledged to pay for it its self.
Rutland County Council has also contributed £2000 The chairman is currently refsuing to name other contributers. It will be interesting to see how much the Co-op has ended up paying.
The council is also paying a solicitor to check the aritst contract, I am not repeating her name, She often
wins most local prizes and sit on the Arts for Rutland Committee. The total money she recieves should pay her bills for the next year.
Plantscape will receive thousands of pounds once again to provide hanging baskets
and water them. Some one decided these will be red white and blue.
DEPUTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC
There were deputations from 4 members of the public on the subject of Rutland County Councils
Licensing Policy Consultation.
Residents asking for help from their council regarding the anti social behaviour that continues die to the night time pissed resident who run riot throughout the town.
After the meeting a member of the public complained she felt the council was rude and did not listen to the deputations. Unlike Rutland County Councillors, Oakham Town Council Councillors do not turn and look at the member of the public speaking and often grunt and groan at the inconvient interuption to their club meeting.
Cllr Joyce Lucas did not help matters when she later turned to the public and said "I have been a Councillor for 16 years and you have been complaining all that time" I then said "that shows the truer effectiveness of this council". It serves no purpose accept its own ego
I raised the further payment of hundreds of pounds for bunting again, I asked if the council had a storage issue. They spend hundred putting it up and taking it down each year.
I also asked why the internal audit report is not signed? anyone could have printed of the report saying the clerk is wonderful.
REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL CONTROL
Approved with no comment
REVIEW OF MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT
Approved with no comment
AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDERS
To consider an amendment to the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Public
Deputations and to decide whether to agree to the amendment
After complaining, the council now recognise the changes to standing orders made by dictator style Oakham Mayor Alf Dewis last year has made the council look like they do not welcome input from the public.
It does not look like, it's a fact!
The councillors agreed to give the chairman descrection to extend public deputations. It would have been
much better if they had copied the time frame of Rutland County Council and many other councils.
FRAUD POLICY
This was defered due to changes in the law that come into effect this week, it appears some one has taken away the two signature rule meaning any Clerk or Chairman could run off with all the public money.
FREEDOM OF ENTRY
To consider a request from Colonel Robert Boyle and to make any decisions as
appropriate
A begging letter was received from the Colonel asking for the freedom of Oakham, I am not sure it
is normal for the forces to aske for this honour.
The Council decided to defer and write to the Colonel and point out they are wasting public money this year giving the honour to a regiment from RAF Whittering described by Cllr Lockette as a bunch of unfit amatures at a previous meeting. The Council also mentioned the wasted expediture when they gave the honour to a regiment based at St George's barracks on the day the MOD announced they were to be moved.
ADVERTISING ON SHORELINK BUS
To decide whether to continue advertising on the Shorelink Bus Service
The council showed once again how shambolic it is.
The Mayor and members asked what does the advert say. No one knew, not even the Clerk. The Clerk
went to find a copy whilst he was searching the office members decided they would save hundreds of pounds and not pay Rutland County Council.
With the bus currently out of service week days they should bge asking for some of the money back.
The Clerk failed to find a copy of the advert, his poor performance recently in his role is blamed on him getting a cold.
LICENSING POLICY CONSULTATION
To consider a Draft Licensing Policy and to agree on any comments to be made to
Rutland County Council
The main concern on this was Rutland County Council decission to delegate so many licensing issues
to paid officers rather than councillor who sit on a committee.
Cllr Lockette said what most think and dare not say, Council officers most of whom don't live in Oakham or Rutland don't really care about the residents issues.
SITE ALLOCATIONS DPD CONSULTATION
To consider the above and to agree on any comments to be made to Rutland County
Council
It was said this document did not effect Oakham and Cllr Dewis said he would like the council to write to Rutland County Council and thank them for the document.
SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
To decide whether to approve the Schedule of Payments for the period
February 1st 2014 – February 28th 2014 approved
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
To decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts to February 28th
2014 approved
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
To consider the following applications received and to agree on any comments or
observations to be made to Rutland County Council
(i) 2014/0069/FUL Mr Martin Duncan
Construction of a sun room to the rear (south) elevation of the dwellinghouse
12 Beech Road
Approved
(ii) 2014/0115/FUL Mr Richard Harris
Change of use of Ground Floor from Class A1 to mixed use Class A1 and D1
30 John Street
Approved
(iii) 2014/0181/FUL Mr and Mrs John Hill
Construction of single storey extensions to the north, east and west elevations
of the dwellinghouse
121 Braunston Road
Approved
(iv) 2014/0175/LBA Mr Tim Dale
Replace driveway and path to dwellinghouse
Thatch Cottage, 2 Crown Street
Approved
(v) 2014/0169/FUL Central England Co-operative Society
Variation of condition No. 8 (planning application 2013/0233/FUL) external
refrigerator fans
83 Braunston Road
Approved
(vi) 2014/0202/CAT Mr Alan Parkinson
Removal of 1 No. Cherry tree, 1 No. Cherry Blossom tree, 1 No. Hazel tree,
1 No. Buddleia and 1 No. hedge
12 Uppingham Road
Approved
(vii) 2014/0191/PTA Taylor Wimpey
Pollard all mature Horse chestnut trees to 4 No. metres
Trees on land between Schofield Road and Oakfield
Approved
Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
APOLOGIES
Apolagies were received from 4 Town Cllrs,
Cllrs Dodds ill again, hope she is well soon
Cllr Nowell work
Cllr Stubbs to busy to doing something else.
Cllr Charles Haworth a prior commitment. Cllr Lucas appears to have stopped
holding his hand by once again refusing to approve his absence. I do hope she
does not think this wipes her slate clean of any responsibility for the disgusting
conduct led by Haworth and Co which she fully supported.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None were declared.
MINUTES
Previous minutes confirmed
COUNCILLOR’S QUESTIONS
None
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER’S REPORTS
None
CLERK’S REPORT
The Clerk read his report which included.
Oakham Town Council has aquired a lot of cash from the Arts Council £6000 to pay their friend and artist to produce a unwanted murial on Co-op property who had orignaly pledged to pay for it its self.
Rutland County Council has also contributed £2000 The chairman is currently refsuing to name other contributers. It will be interesting to see how much the Co-op has ended up paying.
The council is also paying a solicitor to check the aritst contract, I am not repeating her name, She often
wins most local prizes and sit on the Arts for Rutland Committee. The total money she recieves should pay her bills for the next year.
Plantscape will receive thousands of pounds once again to provide hanging baskets
and water them. Some one decided these will be red white and blue.
DEPUTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC
There were deputations from 4 members of the public on the subject of Rutland County Councils
Licensing Policy Consultation.
Residents asking for help from their council regarding the anti social behaviour that continues die to the night time pissed resident who run riot throughout the town.
After the meeting a member of the public complained she felt the council was rude and did not listen to the deputations. Unlike Rutland County Councillors, Oakham Town Council Councillors do not turn and look at the member of the public speaking and often grunt and groan at the inconvient interuption to their club meeting.
Cllr Joyce Lucas did not help matters when she later turned to the public and said "I have been a Councillor for 16 years and you have been complaining all that time" I then said "that shows the truer effectiveness of this council". It serves no purpose accept its own ego
I raised the further payment of hundreds of pounds for bunting again, I asked if the council had a storage issue. They spend hundred putting it up and taking it down each year.
I also asked why the internal audit report is not signed? anyone could have printed of the report saying the clerk is wonderful.
REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL CONTROL
Approved with no comment
REVIEW OF MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT
Approved with no comment
AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDERS
To consider an amendment to the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Public
Deputations and to decide whether to agree to the amendment
After complaining, the council now recognise the changes to standing orders made by dictator style Oakham Mayor Alf Dewis last year has made the council look like they do not welcome input from the public.
It does not look like, it's a fact!
The councillors agreed to give the chairman descrection to extend public deputations. It would have been
much better if they had copied the time frame of Rutland County Council and many other councils.
FRAUD POLICY
This was defered due to changes in the law that come into effect this week, it appears some one has taken away the two signature rule meaning any Clerk or Chairman could run off with all the public money.
FREEDOM OF ENTRY
To consider a request from Colonel Robert Boyle and to make any decisions as
appropriate
A begging letter was received from the Colonel asking for the freedom of Oakham, I am not sure it
is normal for the forces to aske for this honour.
The Council decided to defer and write to the Colonel and point out they are wasting public money this year giving the honour to a regiment from RAF Whittering described by Cllr Lockette as a bunch of unfit amatures at a previous meeting. The Council also mentioned the wasted expediture when they gave the honour to a regiment based at St George's barracks on the day the MOD announced they were to be moved.
ADVERTISING ON SHORELINK BUS
To decide whether to continue advertising on the Shorelink Bus Service
The council showed once again how shambolic it is.
The Mayor and members asked what does the advert say. No one knew, not even the Clerk. The Clerk
went to find a copy whilst he was searching the office members decided they would save hundreds of pounds and not pay Rutland County Council.
With the bus currently out of service week days they should bge asking for some of the money back.
The Clerk failed to find a copy of the advert, his poor performance recently in his role is blamed on him getting a cold.
LICENSING POLICY CONSULTATION
To consider a Draft Licensing Policy and to agree on any comments to be made to
Rutland County Council
The main concern on this was Rutland County Council decission to delegate so many licensing issues
to paid officers rather than councillor who sit on a committee.
Cllr Lockette said what most think and dare not say, Council officers most of whom don't live in Oakham or Rutland don't really care about the residents issues.
SITE ALLOCATIONS DPD CONSULTATION
To consider the above and to agree on any comments to be made to Rutland County
Council
It was said this document did not effect Oakham and Cllr Dewis said he would like the council to write to Rutland County Council and thank them for the document.
SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
To decide whether to approve the Schedule of Payments for the period
February 1st 2014 – February 28th 2014 approved
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
To decide whether to approve the Statement of Accounts to February 28th
2014 approved
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
To consider the following applications received and to agree on any comments or
observations to be made to Rutland County Council
(i) 2014/0069/FUL Mr Martin Duncan
Construction of a sun room to the rear (south) elevation of the dwellinghouse
12 Beech Road
Approved
(ii) 2014/0115/FUL Mr Richard Harris
Change of use of Ground Floor from Class A1 to mixed use Class A1 and D1
30 John Street
Approved
(iii) 2014/0181/FUL Mr and Mrs John Hill
Construction of single storey extensions to the north, east and west elevations
of the dwellinghouse
121 Braunston Road
Approved
(iv) 2014/0175/LBA Mr Tim Dale
Replace driveway and path to dwellinghouse
Thatch Cottage, 2 Crown Street
Approved
(v) 2014/0169/FUL Central England Co-operative Society
Variation of condition No. 8 (planning application 2013/0233/FUL) external
refrigerator fans
83 Braunston Road
Approved
(vi) 2014/0202/CAT Mr Alan Parkinson
Removal of 1 No. Cherry tree, 1 No. Cherry Blossom tree, 1 No. Hazel tree,
1 No. Buddleia and 1 No. hedge
12 Uppingham Road
Approved
(vii) 2014/0191/PTA Taylor Wimpey
Pollard all mature Horse chestnut trees to 4 No. metres
Trees on land between Schofield Road and Oakfield
Approved
