For many years now residents have been complaining about the condition of the footpaths
in Cutts Close.
Oakham Town Council decided last year it would sort one of the neglected paths.
One of Cllrs referred to some prices which were below £25,000 so we agreed to
include £25,000 in the budget for this year, it was decided that money would
be spent from the Hawksmead £65,000.
When I first saw the quote, yes we only have one although we were told originally there
were other quotes.
The quote appears to have a typo the price for the upper part of the path
reads £2,5261 + VAT.
I think this is meant to be £25,261 + VAT
Once we add the VAT and other costs the total project passes £70,000
I do not know why we don't have any other quotes.
I do know our standing orders where change so that we are no required to seek
value for money and only obtain three quotes if we can be bothered.
I sense the Clerk is not bothered. We have two other contracts to consider
at the same meeting.
The Clerk was asked a year ago to seek tenders and we are told only the
past contract holders have tendered.
At a recent meeting Cllr Joyce Lucas attacked me for wanting three quotes
for tree work. she said we don't needs quotes lets just get on with it. So it
does not surprise me the Clerk appears to be disinterested when we have
Councillors like Joyce Lucas who are not in any way interested in obtaining
value for money for the tax payers..
Although we are being asked to increase the amount we budgeted I do not
know where the additional £50,000 is coming from because we have already
spent £6,000 from the Hawksmead money contributing towards the cost
of the pointless town centre manager. At recent meeting the current chairman
said our current reserves were over spent by around £5000
I am also not sure why we are asking for the path to be constructed to a
highways standard required by Liecestershire County Council?
I would expect a good standard. This path is not a public highway it is
a path in a park which has a public right of way over it.
If we wanted to we could replace it with gravel, bark, or even that horrible
limestone powder that turns every thing yellow on the way to Uppingham.
At Oakham Town Council we don't get to approve the tender documents
sent out by the Clerk, this is the first I have seen and it contains mistakes
like the three incorrect spelling of Burley Road.
