Oakham Town Council Co-option Interview 27th January 2015 Audio Recording
Oakham Town Councillors all objected to me recording the interview.
They told me their CCTV was not recording. Meetings like this are
no longer private in the chamber, The even when their system is not
recorded it is connected to the internet.
I gave the Town Council plenty of notice of my intention to record
and one councillor did let me know he objected no one else contacted
me. I can only assume they enjoy a argument as can be heard at the
beginning. Even though the Council had taken advice they felt the
need to express their objection. It reminded me of when the
new laws were introduced September last year, Oakham
Town Council objected and attempted to impose unlawful controls.
If Oakham Town Council could ban the public attending they would.
I chose to record this interview because when Councillors in the past said things
and I challenged what they said later they deny ever saying it.
An example was my last interview when Cllr Stubbs asked "if we co-opt you, will
you stop blogging and stop be the spokesperson for the council?"
This interview Cllr Stubbs decided not to ask any questions, giving the reason
he has interviewed me before.
The law does not require a parish council to interview candidates, Oakham
Town Council can not under all they need to do to comply with the law
is to advertise the vacancy and then members of the public write their
application and then members vote at the full council meeting if more
than one candidate has applied they must co-opt the person with an absolute
majority vote.
The candidates must not canvas to influence members, if they do they
will be disqualified from co-option.
Oakham Town Council is just very nosey, it has even requested more
recently that applicants send in their CV.
Co-option in my view is the most undemocratic system and Oakham
Town Council enjoy as they co-opt nearly half there membership
from people they know.
An election would be better but with less than 5 months before the
election. The cost is not fair to the tax payer.
The other reason is every time I have knocked on doors to get the 10 signatures
to call a by-election. If I don't their friends don't and they end up being
co-opted. That is democracy in action here in Oakham.
Cllr Joyce Lucas asked me how I would raise the profile of Councillors
within the North West Ward. If I was honest I should have pointed
out she and former deputy Mayor Charles Haworth had
already done that and she is already very well known as the Dog Poo Lady,
The lady who tells the children off and the woman who wants to fill
a playing field with trees. There is no need to raise her profile.
Oh yes having to sit in front of a group of people made of mainly people
who dislike and are only interviewing you to humour as I previously
heard the Deputy Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis say is an horrendous experience.
Oakham Town Councillors all objected to me recording the interview.
They told me their CCTV was not recording. Meetings like this are
no longer private in the chamber, The even when their system is not
recorded it is connected to the internet.
I gave the Town Council plenty of notice of my intention to record
and one councillor did let me know he objected no one else contacted
me. I can only assume they enjoy a argument as can be heard at the
beginning. Even though the Council had taken advice they felt the
need to express their objection. It reminded me of when the
new laws were introduced September last year, Oakham
Town Council objected and attempted to impose unlawful controls.
If Oakham Town Council could ban the public attending they would.
I chose to record this interview because when Councillors in the past said things
and I challenged what they said later they deny ever saying it.
An example was my last interview when Cllr Stubbs asked "if we co-opt you, will
you stop blogging and stop be the spokesperson for the council?"
This interview Cllr Stubbs decided not to ask any questions, giving the reason
he has interviewed me before.
The law does not require a parish council to interview candidates, Oakham
Town Council can not under all they need to do to comply with the law
is to advertise the vacancy and then members of the public write their
application and then members vote at the full council meeting if more
than one candidate has applied they must co-opt the person with an absolute
majority vote.
The candidates must not canvas to influence members, if they do they
will be disqualified from co-option.
Oakham Town Council is just very nosey, it has even requested more
recently that applicants send in their CV.
Co-option in my view is the most undemocratic system and Oakham
Town Council enjoy as they co-opt nearly half there membership
from people they know.
An election would be better but with less than 5 months before the
election. The cost is not fair to the tax payer.
The other reason is every time I have knocked on doors to get the 10 signatures
to call a by-election. If I don't their friends don't and they end up being
co-opted. That is democracy in action here in Oakham.
Cllr Joyce Lucas asked me how I would raise the profile of Councillors
within the North West Ward. If I was honest I should have pointed
out she and former deputy Mayor Charles Haworth had
already done that and she is already very well known as the Dog Poo Lady,
The lady who tells the children off and the woman who wants to fill
a playing field with trees. There is no need to raise her profile.
Oh yes having to sit in front of a group of people made of mainly people
who dislike and are only interviewing you to humour as I previously
heard the Deputy Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis say is an horrendous experience.
