Martin Brookes Oakham Rutland: July 2017

Where are the Princess Avenue Plants Cllr Joyce Lucas?

Cllr Lucas recently told a production company working for the BBC that she had
created a pollinators dining area in the corner of Princess Avenue Oakham.

So walked up to see the completed project which I had supported and now wish
I had not done so.

It was a difficult fight to get the council to minute the approval of the expenditure
we agreed.

The Council agreed to pay Cllr Lucas up to £200 she went away and promptly
according an email she sent to all members spent more than the £200 and
provided a list of plants purchased.

I am no plant expert but I can count and the number of small plants I managed
to find does not match any where near the list provided.

I have asked the council more than once where are the plants and received no
reply.

This is another example of how Oakham Town Council fails to properly account
for the spending of public money.

I wonder if the production company visited and filmed Cllr Lucas's effort?

Cllr Joyce Lucas Writes to Rutland Times Thanking Herself and Criticises Rutland County Council.

I have been shown a copy of the latest dribble sent in a form of a letter to the Rutland Times
from the deranged* Cllr Joyce Lucas BEM.

In the letter she thanks herself ie. the Town Council and Oakham in Bloom.for putting up
the bunting etc.

She then thanks the traders for painting their shops. I and the person who shared the letter with
me are not sure who or if any traders have painted their shop fronts this year.

Cllr Lucas then moves on to being critical about the condition of Rutland County Council
footpaths, something which I don't disagree with.

What I do find odd is she is not willing to do anything to put the paths in order that
Oakham Town Council are responsible for.

Oh she will say she tried to obtain a Heritage Lottery Grant. Don't be fooled she did
not bring a single application form before council for approval.

If she had, I very much doubt the HLF would have considered a neglected 1970's
tarmac heritage.

Cllr Adam Lowe has obtained quotes for one of the paths which runs through Cutts
Close, the rest of the neglected paths are not included.

As for Rutland County Councils paths before the utility companies dug them up
I saw the odd wonky slab which they did maintain, I never saw holes or unusable
footpaths like those the Town Council is meant to maintain.

One path was closed with bollards and signs over five years ago for safety.
That was only meant to be temporary.

Cllr Lucas signs her letter a Oakham Resident of 40 years?

There was a time when the Clerk would inspect all our
parks and foot paths would not become blocked by
the shoots from the bases of the trees

The council has no schedule of maintenance.
It only reacts to complaints.

What is ironic regarding the temporary closure of
one of the footpaths to Wheel Chair users etc for over five years is
this path is now in a better condition than the others.

*deranged

I use this description because Cllr Lucas has taken to driving past me and
pointing and laughing at me. ????

She has also told a member of the public that I should be careful and
keep my nose out of council business or some one might run me over.