Oakham Mayor Cllr Adam Lowe Redacts Name of Oakham Town Councillor who acted unlawfully Secret meetings with Rutland County Council
This evening all members received a email from Oakham Mayor Cllr Adam Loweattached to his email are two from Rutland County Council.
Cllr Lowe has decided to protect the identity of those involved in attempt to defraud Oakham Town Council of £62,500
Two Rutland County Councillors who I met with yesterday confirmed to me the Former Mayor Alf Dewis was responsible for them believing the Town Councilhad agreed all the money would be given to the town partnership.
Oakham Town Partnership Minutes give the name of the officer who washolding "secret meetings" with Two Oakham Town Cllrs and Oakham Town Partnership. as Paul Phillipson, RCC Director – Places (Development & Economy)
I have spoken to one of two Councillors who represent us on the Town Partnership, Cllr Vince Howard he says it was not him who held the "secret meetings".
I am awaiting a response from Cllr Stan Stubbs our other rep.
Cllr Lowe states he is content that the police say no criminal offence hasbeen committed.
If Rutland County Council had sent the money direct to the town partnership as the minutes of the partnership suggest would happen, then the police say the act of theftor fraud would have been completed and Rutland County Council would have had to investigate and report their findings to action fraud. So Mr Dewisand the unknown Councillor had a lucky escape.
Cllr Lowes suggestion that we should be meeting informally with the partnership is astonishing.
And his request to hold with any further public disclosure is shocking and typical
of the old guards style.
The Former Mayor Alf Dewis and the currently unknown Town Councillor
have both acted unlawfully and breached the local government act by
agreeing to deprive the town council from deciding how their money should
be spent.
Fortunately we have the money and not the Town Partnership so I hope
we can now all sit down and decide how our community can benefit
from this £62,500
My personal opinion is no part-time town centre manager is worth £31,000
a year.
Dear ALL
I have been aware of the flood of e-mails regarding the S106 Hawksmead money.
As result of what I have read I believe it appropriate that facts be established, a way forward identified and a process to carry this out followed with full disclosure, I did say I would be doing full disclosure where appropriate.
The e-mails below have had names removed because, despite the e-mail's from RCC stating fact, I have not spoken to the ex Town Councillor and the current Town Councillor who appear to be at the heart of what were secret meetings and an apparent agreement with Oakham Town Partnership, with out the knowledge of the other Oakham Town Council Councillors or Officers.
The 1st e-mail clearly states the money is paid to Oakham Town Council, to spend as it sees fit for the benefit of the Towns people, only proviso is regular feedback.
The 2nd e-mail clearly states, the aspirations of RCC, OTC and OTP, well, in my opinion if only two Councillors from OTC were involved then this clearly breaches our code of conduct and Cllrs may have overstepped their remit on making decisions which clearly should have come to Council.
As the Police are content no criminal offence has taken place there is now the matter of what to do with the money and to that end I would suggest that an informal meeting be called where all Town Councillors attend with a representative from Oakham Town Partnership.
I would really appreciate members feedback, I would also really appreciate it if we could hold of with any further public disclosure for the time being until we meet and please no more allegations of unlawful activity.
Regards
Adam Lowe
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1st e-mail received today from RCC below.
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We have for some time been in consultation with Oakham Town Council and Oakham Town Partnership on the subject of Section 106 funding from the Hawksmead Development the original agreement stated: “Means facilities and services provided in Oakham town centre to encourage and facilitate the use of the town centre by occupiers of the Development including (but not limited to) the appointment and cost of a town centre manager or similar post or contracted service as determined by the County Council.” However the new agreement with Hawksmead and the County Council was that the sum of money (£62,500) is to be paid over to the Town Council for the benefit of the residents of Oakham Town and our only requirement on this is that we receive updates from the Council on its spend. I hope this clarifies the matter for all concerned.____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2nd e-mail received today from RCC below.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________However our most recent conversations were with Cllr XXXXXX OTC and XXXXXX OTP prior to this OTC was represented by Cllr XXXXXX. We have however been working with a number of individuals discussing this process for an extended period of time certainly prior to the re negotiation of the overall Hawksmead funding.
The role of Rutland County Council has been to support the aspirations of OTC/OTP in the creation of a Town Centre manager role and too this end we have supported with detail on a job description advertisement and support for the process. We have always been clear that it is OTCs decision on how this would work, where the role would sit and how it would be managed.
The funding was paid through to OTC in anticipation of a process that would enable it to be granted across to OTP in the same way that Uppingham have managed their funding. The transfer of funds would have left plenty of time to facilitate this process. However if OTC now decide they do not wish to proceed in this manner then you are perfectly entitled to do so and we will continue to work with you on a process to enable us to maintain a record of how the money is spent in line with the developers wishes.
There has however been considerable work and time expended by OTP on the Town Centre manager post and I would hope you would be supportive in your approach to this organisation.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
END
Regards
Adam Lowe
