Oakham Town Council set to increase Council Tax Demands by 38% 2017 - 2018

Oakham Town Council set to increase Council Tax Demands by 38% 2017- 2018

38% is not a typing error before Christmas I was concerned that the proposed increase
was going to be 7.55%

When I posted on by blog and social media about my concern that the proposed increase
was not acceptable, The Mayor Cllr Adam Lowe posted a public comment attacking me and claiming I misleading the public and a 7.55% increase is only the cost of a couple of cups of coffee.
A couple of cups of coffee for me at most local coffee shops is actually the cost of two meals for
me and many others, his attitude stinks.

Today I received a copy of next weeks council meeting and find reports which contain inaccurate
reporting from Cllr Michael Haley one of the Councillors who is responsible for the INCOMPETENT way the setting of the 2017 - 2018 budget is being prepared.

There has been no consultation of Cllrs and the Acting Clerk who is not meant to be involved with
the setting of the budget publicly said most of the figures were guessed.

If the acting Clerk had followed instructions given by the council in the summer of last year
we would not need guesses because he or his assistant would have gone out to tender for all the
contracts that have now lapsed.

Some of the reasons the proposed budget is so wrong we are required by law to only demand what we need. We can not take money from tax payers for a rainy day. 

 It is proposed that salaries should be:

Salaries,etc £50,000 the same level as 2015 - 2016 even though the wages bill has been cut
drastically

Oakham Cemetery Maintenance  £15,000 we only pay Rutland County Council £5,500 a year
last year we demanded £15,000 from taxpayers just in case we were ready to take over the management. at the last meeting Cllr Michael Haley said it is highly unlikely to happen this year
so why are we demanding another £9,500 we don't need.


Neighbourhood Plan £14000 There is a report in the agenda pack produced by Cllr Michael Haley
which appears to have been put together in a very incompetent way.
in his report none of his current figures match those agreed at the last meeting or the figure of £14,000

I have written to Cllr Michael Haley and requested that he explains his poor report and just gives us the figure he requires to be included in the budget.

I have also asked him to explain when we approved £1000.000 what ever that means?

We also need clarification on how much grant funding the clerk is required to apply for because that figure does not match with what was stated at the last meeting.

I also question why the required funding is not being taken from reserves when it was reported at the last meeting we have £240,000

that includes £62,500 earmarked from a developer.

Not having access to the council accounts I can not give a full figure of what I believe are the
true reserves, from the information presented to me in the December 2016 meeting I don't believe
we have a reserve more than £80,000 the reason for this is the draft budget documents stated that was the situation at the 1st December 2016 at no point does it appear that anyone working on the 2017 - 2018 budget have considered that we have five months of expenditure for the remainder of this
financial year.

It concerns me that the tax payer is being asked to pay for the neighbourhood plan because the working group has not applied for any grants to date. If reserves were used they could be repaid
from any future grants received. If tax payers are forced to pay we just get to stash away even more reserves.

Tucked in the pack is the main reason for Cllr Michael Haley's request for more money
A quote for consultancy work to be carried out by the Rural Community Council  (Leicestershire and Rutland)

Although it is common knowledge this is not the only organisation that does Neighbourhood Plan
work, Cllr Michael Haley has decided we only need one quote for three items of work.

Indicative costs are listed:

£6.000 for ten days work to produce a draft plan

£1,925.00 for independent facilitation ..........

£1,225.00 Preparation of a consultation statement



The promotions of Oakham Group asked for £10500 at the last meeting our agenda pack does not include a report a spreadsheet has been bunged in possibly in error by the office because it contains
typos and only asks for £9500.

Cutts Close Path £19,000 residents have been complaining for many years about the state of the paths in Cutts Close one is so bad the council put up bollard with bollards banning disabled users
some years ago. Cllr Adam Lowe has provided a report and photographs he has had one estimate from a unknown source and for repairs to one of the paths that came in at £14,262.03 + according to his report. He finishes his report now suggesting we might need to budget £25,000.00
I have a feeling once quotes are obtained for the April meeting that figure will be higher.
but in the meantime the taxpayer is likely to be asked to fork out £25,000

Whilst we have reserves in the hundreds of thousands I will not support any council tax increase
38% is certainly a lot more than a couple of cups of coffee, Mr Mayor!