Playground Politics Here In Oakham Rutland County Council Oakham Town Council Library Children's Services Extension.
There is a lot of discussion on social media, the press and on the street about the proposed
extension Rutland County Council wants to build on the rear of the library for Children's
Services. The Planning Officers and Cabinet recommend approval, the development and
licensing committee rejected the application and in my unqualified opinion gave good
valid reasons.
The four Tory Councillors have called the decision to full council for reconsideration.
Of course the Tory council constitution permits this. I would like to see this power more
tightly controlled.
One question that should be asked at Mondays full council meeting is what legal planning
reason do these councillors have to call it to full council, because just because the
Tory Leader Terry King and his Tory CEO Helen Briggs don't like the majority democratic
outcome is any legal justification to call it back.
It is my understanding that if a Council member put in a planning application that
must be considered by full council and not committee. I wonder if this should have
applied in this case due to applicant being Rutland County Council?
Of course we all know if this had happened the Tory whip would have been cracked
and the application would have been accepted. Sadly I think this will happen on Monday.
No one is against Childrens Services the proposed location is wrong.
I see this as another case where Terry King and Helen Briggs have messed up just
like they did with Post 16 Education not so many years ago.
A parent Governor from Catmose College was telling very proudly how
pleased they are that Harington School is elitist and expects very high standards and
had little concern for those who are academic elitists and now have to travel out of
Rutland to continue there education due to Rutland County Council failings.
It is hard to believe the late leader of Rutland County Council was meant to have
a passion for education.
I once posted Rutland County Council will mess everything up for us from the
cradle to the grave. Which is very true when you consider the poor social services
provision for children to vulnerable adults. I won't mention the state of the cemetery
which a Rutland County Councillor rather flippantly said we could sell it to Oakham Town
Council for £1. That saga still goes on because Oakham Town Council is no better than
Rutland County Council.
At Monday's full council meeting I understand the council has permitted three deputations
after Cllr Joyce Lucas let down the residents by bringing an agenda item to Oakham Town
Council suggesting a corporate deputation be given by Oakham Town Council.
When she present this request to council she said "I am not do anything" a very common statement
from Cllr Joyce Lucas these days. the reason being she was to be giving her own private deputation
you might think a Councillor who had met with a group of residents about this application
might have offered to represent them even if it was not their ward? No Cllr Joyce Lucas
nearly lost the residents the opportunity to have any say.
As always Cllr Joyce Lucas is responsible for the playground antics.
Last Thursday a Oakham South East resident invited me to attend a residents meeting.
One of the residents a friend of Cllr Joyce Lucas objected and said we don't need
Cllr Brookes to help.
I was hoping for some input for the deputation the Council is giving on Monday to be read
by me on behalf of the council (a rutland county councillor said I must emphasise the deputation
is not mine and is from the town cllrs and residents because some of the Tory councillors don't
like me and would not take any notice of me if it was just my deputation?)
After the residents were told Rutland County Council only permits two deputations
they decided they needed me, unfortunately for them I was attending a presentation
at Catmose College were students behave 100% better than the average Oakham Town
Councillor.
On Friday 8 residents I am told marched to Oakham Town Council and met with the
two members who run the council Cllrs Lowe and Haley. Unlike Cllr Lucas, Cllr Lowe
reported his good fortune of meeting the residents with the Oakham South East Ward
Cllrs.
So on Monday I am reading a deputation written by Cllr Adam Lowe Mayor
which is made up of input from the majority of Oakham Town Councillors and nearby
and nearby residents.
I will be asking two questions of my own. The first is how much did the pointless scaffold cost.
A Rutland County Councillor told me that question may not be answered I can not see why
because all expenditure of £500 has to be published at some stage.
The second question relates to comments made by Cllr James Lammie regarding flat
roofs in a conservation area when another application was considered at the same
committee meeting.
The meeting is to be held at Catmose at 7pm Monday
Below is a Former Oakham Mayors public comment on the subject.
Paul Beech This could be wrong but I heard that the planning officers favoured adoption of the scheme and that the cabinet rejected it. Which is why it's gone to full council. You have to get all your family and friends to email you local councillors and tell them this scheme is needed otherwise they will think you don't care. I'll do the same with mine but the problem with this council is that they will be bullied into toeing the the majority line instead of doping what is right. This council has a history of getting matters like this wrong and then blaming it on lack resources. Write to your councillors and see if they will (or dare) tell you why it was rejected. You don't have much time.
