the budget discussion due to meeting due to have with his wife was more important than
the budget that effect the residents of Oakham.
We consider a budget which has been "guessed" which does not take into consideration
the large unexplained reserves the council holds.
Even though our costs are reducing we are being asked to demand an extra 7.55% from
tax payers.
A parish council can only demand what it needs, guessing those needs is not acceptable.
Dear Adam
Thank you Adam once again you contradict yourslef or should I say the council.
You state just because we agree something should be budgetted for then that is not giving it spending
approval. How odd every time I have said this example late nigh shopping £2000 and other expenditure in
the past I was told many times I was wrong, many times I was told by you, Alf Dewis and Richard White
I was wrong and was told if the council agrees to budget for something then we have agreed to pay it.
So bearing in mind as you have added £1000 to the budget for late night shopping for the town partnership
you will produce a report for council so we can decide if we are going to pay them.
Your email proves the council in the past has acted unlawfully.
The demand that we all obtain reports in time for the next meeting should have been given to us
many months before.
We have never been asked to provide reports like this in the past.
Although I don't disagree with the need for reports I am finding the timing difficult as many people are shutting
down for Christmas are wont be able to produce reports during their holiday time.
I have not been able to contact the CA and to be honest as you are the rep it is should be your job but with
your permission I am happy to carry on with that project.
I have spoken to a RCC cllr today in between your offensive text messages and made them aware of
the situation and how important it is they help me with a report for the youth worker funding.
Perhaps we can also have a more detailed report from the clerk and Michael about the many figures that
were just "guessed" and the "slush fund"
Also more seriously as I was unable to ask in the five seconds you gave me at the end of the meeting
can they explain why we are not using any of the reserves with have magically appeared?
We can not keep demanding from the overstretched tax payers for no good reason.
and just because the government might cap us in years to come is not a lawful reason.
A resident, Mr Richardson has informed me he and other residents will be seeking a judicial review
of our budget if the proposed budget is approved by the council.
I am told the video evidence will support their action against the council.
The law states the clerk is not permitted to be involved in the setting of the budget and from
his comments like "we guessed some of the figures" shows he was involved, the budget is a job
for all cllrs and members of the public.
The description Michael Haley gave when describing the reserves running into £100,000s was not good. We currently hold one earmarked
reserve that being the £65,000 from Hawksmead the rest is unlawful so I am told.
We should be setting a zero precept based on the reserves we have and not asking for more.
The cemetery demand is totally unacceptable.
From
Martin
Cllr Martin Brookes
13 Willow Crescent
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6EQ
Tel: 07508060962
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 3:08 PM
From: "Adam Lowe"
To: "Joyce Lucas"
Subject: Council Business
Dear ALL
When we meet in January the meeting will have one main theme, the BUDGET.
Strategic plans need to be produced to support the requests for spending.
The more detail and evidence will help justify the BUDGET request.
I do not see us agreeing to the work to be signed as in an agenda item in January
Once the BUDGET is agreed the owners of the request will then still need to bring the strategic plan with an agenda item to get agreement to SPEND the agreed BUDGET.
We do not always spend the whole allocated budget.
This gives you time to research a bit and maybe get extra quotes, so for example:
If I produce one quote for paths and then evidence with pictures the state of the path and where and why it needs repairing this would help me show to the rest of the Council where and why it should spend money, if the BUDGET request is accepted then that figure is basically earmarked.
Then when I produce my agenda item I would have a budget to aim for with a strategic document to help justify the reason to spend that earmarked budget, don't forget this is calculating what we will be spending in the next financial year.
So the Devil is in the detail, also be prepared to be challenged on what you want the BUDEGT for.
Even if you get a budget allocated, the agenda item may still fail to get signed off.
Hopefully this helps.
Regards
Adam Lowe
Dear Adam
Please can you tell me where in our standing orders it says a Cllr can not present a verbal report at a Council
meeting.
The way in which the Council has handled the budget this year is an absolute farce.
I am shocked and astounded to learn that most of the budget according to the clerk is guessed and that
everything has been left to the last minute.
Cllr Michael Haley has been on the finance working group since the beginning of the year and he seemed
to publicly point the finger of blame in the direction of former Cllr Michael Elliot during Wednesdays meeting
this is unacceptable Cllr Michael is fully aware of many requests for the required reports and should have made the ex Cllr
aware of the requirement for regular reports and information.
Ex Cllr Michael Elliot was not a member of the council when Cllr Michael Haley was still on the working group
with ex Cllr Jasmine Hopkins at this time he should have reported to council stating the requirements for the budget
we should not be receiving them from you now in split emails.
From
Martin
Cllr Martin Brookes
13 Willow Crescent
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6EQ
Tel: 07508060962
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 4:23 PM
From: "Adam Lowe"
To: MJHaley
Subject: Council Business - further
To answer a question or give further guidance and make things a easy as possible;
Members would submit an updated action plan if the works applies to a Working Group, the NP action plan is a good example of this, with a detailed paper.
If it is not related to a working group then a detailed paper is a must.
Be prepared basically, verbal reports and requests will fail.
Regards
Adam Lowe
