This evening I attended a special meeting of the council.
The council was meeting to restated corrected accounts.
I wrote to the council and provided them with a copy of what I was going to say.
This is not something councillors are required to do. I also published the comments
on this blog.
I arrived early for the meeting and at no stage did the Chairman Cllr Alf Dewis raise any
concerns with me.
At the start of the meeting two emails or parts of two emails were read out both
once again showed errors in accounting.
Cllr Elliott spoke first about a report he and Cllr Mills had prepared.
Then the chair went around the room asking for comments there were
none from any other councillor.
When I said I had something to read out the Cllr Dewis asked if it was the same
as the email and only at this point did he indicate he did not approve of some of the
content and if I read it out he would consider it a disruption of the meeting.
So I started reading what is shown below and was repeatedly stopped and accused
of disrupting the meeting.
Without following correct legal process I was excluded from the meeting and the
councils conducted its business in a locked office.
The Council has stooped to possible the worst low ever this evening.
I personally don't think what I had to say was highly controversial and I strongly
believe I had a right to speak.
The video has two parts the first video shows the lead up to the adjournment
and the second part shows the return of members to the chamber to vote to
exclude me from the adjourned meeting. Cllr Dewis even has the cheek to
ask me how I am voting!
Video of incident starts at 10 minutes into meeting
youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p-9r_MWSo
I am sending this email to all Councillors and Rutland County Councillors for Oakham
for their information.
I really can not understand why there is no body to ensure this sort of conduct carried out
by councils is stopped, it is appalling that I can not speak or represent the community.
The council was meeting to restated corrected accounts.
I wrote to the council and provided them with a copy of what I was going to say.
This is not something councillors are required to do. I also published the comments
on this blog.
I arrived early for the meeting and at no stage did the Chairman Cllr Alf Dewis raise any
concerns with me.
At the start of the meeting two emails or parts of two emails were read out both
once again showed errors in accounting.
Cllr Elliott spoke first about a report he and Cllr Mills had prepared.
Then the chair went around the room asking for comments there were
none from any other councillor.
When I said I had something to read out the Cllr Dewis asked if it was the same
as the email and only at this point did he indicate he did not approve of some of the
content and if I read it out he would consider it a disruption of the meeting.
So I started reading what is shown below and was repeatedly stopped and accused
of disrupting the meeting.
Without following correct legal process I was excluded from the meeting and the
councils conducted its business in a locked office.
The Council has stooped to possible the worst low ever this evening.
I personally don't think what I had to say was highly controversial and I strongly
believe I had a right to speak.
The video has two parts the first video shows the lead up to the adjournment
and the second part shows the return of members to the chamber to vote to
exclude me from the adjourned meeting. Cllr Dewis even has the cheek to
ask me how I am voting!
Video of incident starts at 10 minutes into meeting
youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p-9r_MWSo
I am sending this email to all Councillors and Rutland County Councillors for Oakham
for their information.
I really can not understand why there is no body to ensure this sort of conduct carried out
by councils is stopped, it is appalling that I can not speak or represent the community.
Dear All,
Please can you explain how raising my concerns and concerns of residents is disrupting a meeting?
This evening 29/06/2015 the Chairman adjourned the meeting because I was attempting to read out
my concerns relating to the accounts which were an agenda item.
He attempted to restart the meeting in a locked office.
He and you all returned to the chamber because the clerk told him you had not voted to exclude
me.
The chairman did not formally restart the meeting in the council chamber and the vote
went ahead to exclude me. Because I refused to leave you all returned to the office and
locked the door and conducted Council business.
I am sure this means any business you carried out was unlawful.
Even if I had been lawfully excluded, the recent advice at training from the LRALC
is that a meeting can only be adjourned to a later date. If a person refuses to leave
It does not say the meeting can move to the office.
I will also be copying this email to the Local Association of Councils for
advice
video link:
Which I believe clearly shows the chairman and council unlawfully gagging
a Councillor.
The video has two parts the first video shows the lead up to the adjournment
and the second part shows the return of members to the chamber to vote to
exclude me from the adjourned meeting. Cllr Dewis even has the cheek to
ask me how I am voting!
I will now be writing to Grant Thorton to lodge an objection to the accounts.
and will be providing them with the same evidence.
It is very clear to me the council has something very serious they want to hide.
otherwise why would the chairman react in the way he did and why are members
supporting his illegal actions?
This Councils bullying has now reached an appalling level.
I am also very shocked that Cllr Lowe threatened to use violence against me.
Here is a reminder of what I wanted to say.
"First I must point out to all members any criticism I raise concerning this report is not in any way to be taken as being critical of the report authors, who as we know worked within the constraints of the
constraints and restrictions. Once again I question why has our chairman made a unilateral decision
to give instructions to other members.
At the last meeting (10th June) I pointed out one of the errors relating to Body Power Fitness Ltd.
despite my comment being supported by two other councillors.
The clerk advised we were wrong and when we voted against the approval of accounts he could be
heard saying "I don't know why"
During the consideration Consideration Cllr Howard kindly pointed to a supporting document which
showed body power fitness Ltd owed £750. This evening we are asked to believe this company
that has benefited greatly from Oakham Taxpayers money in fact owes £2250 a considerable difference between the 2 figures this council has been asked to accept.
Body Power Fitness Ltd has now gone into liquidation so I doubt if this council will be able to recover the losses from those who have opened a new company.
Can I also ask why I was not made aware of the errors in income before Saturday's postal delivery?
No emails received about this matter referred to this matter they only referred to the error in
expenditure.
Moving on to the current situation on page 3
The reports says the councils external auditors Grant Thornton don't have a problem with us if
we amend or don't amend the statement of accounts this evening? This puzzles me?
On the same page we are asked to consider 2 points.
The first we can't consider because turning to page 4 we can see that someone has
already altered the statement lawfully signed by the chairman on the 10th June 2015
in this chamber.
I question the legality of the predetermined alteration of an official council document?
At this point I would like to request this council rejects the 2014 -2015 accounts.
Account which you accepted in good faith based on flawed advice and the possible
incompetence of those who prepared and audited the accounts.
I also request ignoring the comments made by the deputy chair to me.
It is not a waste of tax payers money and this is a serious issue.
I request the council calls in a external auditor to inspect and review and make recommendations
regarding the councils accounting processes.
We must all try to remember this is not our money and the taxpayers expect us to use it
wisely and account for all spending in the correct way and as councillors we recognise things
can go wrong and we should ensure nothing stops us from ensuring this does not happen again."
constraints and restrictions. Once again I question why has our chairman made a unilateral decision
to give instructions to other members.
At the last meeting (10th June) I pointed out one of the errors relating to Body Power Fitness Ltd.
despite my comment being supported by two other councillors.
The clerk advised we were wrong and when we voted against the approval of accounts he could be
heard saying "I don't know why"
During the consideration Consideration Cllr Howard kindly pointed to a supporting document which
showed body power fitness Ltd owed £750. This evening we are asked to believe this company
that has benefited greatly from Oakham Taxpayers money in fact owes £2250 a considerable difference between the 2 figures this council has been asked to accept.
Body Power Fitness Ltd has now gone into liquidation so I doubt if this council will be able to recover the losses from those who have opened a new company.
Can I also ask why I was not made aware of the errors in income before Saturday's postal delivery?
No emails received about this matter referred to this matter they only referred to the error in
expenditure.
Moving on to the current situation on page 3
The reports says the councils external auditors Grant Thornton don't have a problem with us if
we amend or don't amend the statement of accounts this evening? This puzzles me?
On the same page we are asked to consider 2 points.
The first we can't consider because turning to page 4 we can see that someone has
already altered the statement lawfully signed by the chairman on the 10th June 2015
in this chamber.
I question the legality of the predetermined alteration of an official council document?
At this point I would like to request this council rejects the 2014 -2015 accounts.
Account which you accepted in good faith based on flawed advice and the possible
incompetence of those who prepared and audited the accounts.
I also request ignoring the comments made by the deputy chair to me.
It is not a waste of tax payers money and this is a serious issue.
I request the council calls in a external auditor to inspect and review and make recommendations
regarding the councils accounting processes.
We must all try to remember this is not our money and the taxpayers expect us to use it
wisely and account for all spending in the correct way and as councillors we recognise things
can go wrong and we should ensure nothing stops us from ensuring this does not happen again."
