Thursday, January 31, 2019

League of Cruel Sports Oakham Town Council Cottesmore Hunt

The league of cruel sport wrote to Oakham Town Council asking it to stop Cottesmore Hunt meeting in Oakham on Boxing Day.
This letter was discussed at the town council meeting last night.

Oakham Town Council has no powers to stop the hunt meeting.
I am aware that some members of Leicestershire Police are concerned about the lack of stewards at the event which is very well attended in the market place. This year there appeared to be one female steward smoking in the road and directing traffic.

The discussions at the council meeting were both in support and against the hunt.

Cllr Daniel Bottemley spoke in support of the hunt saying the protesters should be banned he also stated he was unaware of anyone ever being hurt etc. I reminded him of former Leicestershire Police Officer who was seriously injured at a hunt in this region.

 https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/belvoir-hunt-employees-sentenced-attack-1677954

Cllr Anne Skipworth responded to one of my comments by telling me I should not attend the boxing day hunt here in Oakham. 
I had highlighted that since I voted not to grant permission for the hunt to meet on Town Council land I have still attended the meet on boxing day to photograph it and had been slightly intimidated by a few people connected to the Cottesmore Hunt who would say we know who you are and where you live. I asked her why if the event was billed as a fun Christmas event should I stay away, she did not respond and just gave her stupid look. She added the only people who objected to hunt meets were city types who had no understanding of countryside traditions.

Cllr Adam Lowe Mayor said he was not aware of anyone connected to the Cottesmore Hunt ever being convicted for anything, I suggest he reads the Leicester Mercury more often.
He added if he was elected again in May he would be bringing a paper back to council to allow the hunt to meet on Town Council land again...

Cllr Lucas denied she had ever complained about having to clear up hound and horse mess after the meets in Cutts Close and blamed the mess on the publics domestic pets. I suggested we all watched the recording of the meeting and find she was lying once more.

I responded to Adam Lowe comment about reversing the decision the council had made not to allow the hunt to meet on its land and how this might encourage protester to attend our small chamber and he said thats fine I will exempt the item. Cllr Lowe has a habit of encouraging the council to unlawfully exempt items.

After a lengthy and heated debate it was decided Cllr Lowe would send a one line response to the league of cruel sports.