If you were to visit the neighbourhood plan steering group website, you would be led to believe
they presented Oakham Town Council with a working document.
'February 2019
The Steering Group has shown a working version of the Neighbourhood Plan to the Town Council on the 15th January. We are collecting and addressing the Town Councillor's comments, and working with RCC to ensure the policies comply with the Local Plan. '
https://www.oakhamnp.org.uk/
(It also needs to comply with basic planning laws and central government policy.)
If you were to read the agenda for Oakham Town Council, you might be confused as it was a agenda item for the council to approve the final draft ready for public consultation and referendum on May 2nd 2019. Most Councillors recognised the document was not fit for purpose. The item was removed from the agenda.
A meeting was arranged with the steering group, the first time both council and the steering group had met.
In two parts are the unedited audio recording, of that meeting.
We learnt that Oakham has a cold relationship with, Oakham School and a similar relationship with
Barleythorpe Parish Council.
Barleythorpe Parish council has appointed reps on the steering group, neither attended the meeting.
It would be fair to say Barleythorpe even before it had a parish council never wanted to work with
Oakham Town Council.
It is shocking that the steering group feel that even the revised plan is fit for purpose.
If the document was needed in the high court can only imagine the comments from any judge.
It is a embarrassment to the town. It is not the towns fault, it is Oakham Town Councils and the steering groups fault and the former Mayor Michael Haley who bullied most if not all the woman
of the steering group according to a woman at last years town meeting.
Over the 3 years plus there has been enough public involvement, possible due to poor advertising.
The steering group was proud of the big survey participation, more people took part in the recent contested wards election for Oakham Town Council
Oakham and Barleythorpe Neighbourhood Plan Oakham Town Council Meeting With Steering Group Part 1
Oakham and Barleythorpe Neighbourhood Plan Oakham Town Council Meeting With Steering Group Part 2
Sunday, May 05, 2019
Oakham and Barleythorpe Neighbourhood Plan 2018 to 2036 Regulation 14 Consultation Draft Plan December 2018 Prepared by Oakham Town Council and Open Plan
Oakham and Barleythorpe Neighbourhood Plan 2018 to 2036 Regulation 14 Consultation Draft Plan December 2018 Prepared by Oakham Town Council and Open Plan.
During the election posters were displayed around Oakham containing lies and criticism about
me because I have criticised the Neighbourhood Plan.
Around 4 years ago Alf Dewis was Oakham Mayor and I challenged him by asking why Oakham
was not preparing a neighbourhood plan. He responded with we did not need one, I pointed out
Uppingham had one and he responded with they will regret it. Fortunately that has proved to be untrue.
It was not until he was challenge by residents at the Annual town meeting and learning if we had
one the town council would receive an extra money from developers he decided it was a good thing to start.
A steering group was set up and a number of working groups were set up, I was not permitted to
join any but I was asked to provide photographs and produce a list of groups and organisations that
the steering group should consult. Most of those who should be consulted have not been contacted. Police etc.
Unfortunately Alf Dewis decided to leave the council after Grant Thorton found he had unlawfully
spent public money. This meant he also left the Plan steering group.
Then fun started Michael Haley took his place. Even today former members of the group said he was impossible to work with.
The person sent from Rutland County Council to assist with the preparation said. none of the
steering group would listen to him.
All female members left the steering group, this matter was raised by a female resident at the Annual town meeting and Michael Haley was removed from the steering group and resigned from the Council.
Then Cllr Adam Lowe joined the group the council received no progress reports. This was not a problem because most of the members then were not interested in the plan or its preparation progress.
Then early this year the good news was spread by the Mayor Adam Lowe the Plan was finished and ready for the council to approve. It was placed as an agenda item and members received the draft
shown below.
Members were told by the Mayor we would be permitted more than three minutes to discuss it.
Some members were not happy and let the Mayor know.
It had to be approved and ready for referendum at this May's election.
When the meeting arrived we were told the item had been withdrawn. Thank goodness for that.
A closed meeting was arranged with the steering group and this gave all members the chance to
point out how shockingly dreadful the draft plan was.
Only the Mayor and former Cllr Joyce Lucas said it was great and Mrs Lucas said she was fed
up hearing criticism. A full recording of the meeting will be published soon. This is a response to the poster attacks against me.
The document below is meant to address planning issues and concerns residents may have
now and for the future.
Both Alf Dewis and Michael Haley did not feel the need to apply for outside grants so
Oakham residents have paid most of the £25,000 + this document has cost to produce.
At the last council meeting Cllr Joy Clough asked questions about the progress since the
closed meeting the Mayor replied in a very flippant childish manner.
Cllr Joy Clough is currently bullied by the Mayor and Clerk because she shared this
document with the Oakham residents group. The Mayor decided after the document was
put through various doors with no explanation it was confidential.
We are told there have been corrections made to this draft but it will not come to
council for approval before being sent out to public consultation?
I am not sure who is footing the bill for sending this out to public consultation because the
steering group did not ask for any money in this years budget.
I hope the new members of the council can sort out this mess.
I now rather pleased the chairman of the steering group Chris Clark colluded with the
Mayor to unlawfully kick me of the steering group after I had attended one meeting.
I have spoken to another member of the steering group who has worked hard on this
project and he stated he had no knowledge of what Chris Clark did.
Before publishing this post I shared the document with a Rutland County Councillor and asked their
opinion the response was 'it is not fit for purpose'
Thank you Chris Clark, Michael Haley and Adam Lowe for wasting £25,000 of our money.
During the election posters were displayed around Oakham containing lies and criticism about
me because I have criticised the Neighbourhood Plan.
Around 4 years ago Alf Dewis was Oakham Mayor and I challenged him by asking why Oakham
was not preparing a neighbourhood plan. He responded with we did not need one, I pointed out
Uppingham had one and he responded with they will regret it. Fortunately that has proved to be untrue.
It was not until he was challenge by residents at the Annual town meeting and learning if we had
one the town council would receive an extra money from developers he decided it was a good thing to start.
A steering group was set up and a number of working groups were set up, I was not permitted to
join any but I was asked to provide photographs and produce a list of groups and organisations that
the steering group should consult. Most of those who should be consulted have not been contacted. Police etc.
Unfortunately Alf Dewis decided to leave the council after Grant Thorton found he had unlawfully
spent public money. This meant he also left the Plan steering group.
Then fun started Michael Haley took his place. Even today former members of the group said he was impossible to work with.
The person sent from Rutland County Council to assist with the preparation said. none of the
steering group would listen to him.
All female members left the steering group, this matter was raised by a female resident at the Annual town meeting and Michael Haley was removed from the steering group and resigned from the Council.
Then Cllr Adam Lowe joined the group the council received no progress reports. This was not a problem because most of the members then were not interested in the plan or its preparation progress.
Then early this year the good news was spread by the Mayor Adam Lowe the Plan was finished and ready for the council to approve. It was placed as an agenda item and members received the draft
shown below.
Members were told by the Mayor we would be permitted more than three minutes to discuss it.
Some members were not happy and let the Mayor know.
It had to be approved and ready for referendum at this May's election.
When the meeting arrived we were told the item had been withdrawn. Thank goodness for that.
A closed meeting was arranged with the steering group and this gave all members the chance to
point out how shockingly dreadful the draft plan was.
Only the Mayor and former Cllr Joyce Lucas said it was great and Mrs Lucas said she was fed
up hearing criticism. A full recording of the meeting will be published soon. This is a response to the poster attacks against me.
The document below is meant to address planning issues and concerns residents may have
now and for the future.
Both Alf Dewis and Michael Haley did not feel the need to apply for outside grants so
Oakham residents have paid most of the £25,000 + this document has cost to produce.
At the last council meeting Cllr Joy Clough asked questions about the progress since the
closed meeting the Mayor replied in a very flippant childish manner.
Cllr Joy Clough is currently bullied by the Mayor and Clerk because she shared this
document with the Oakham residents group. The Mayor decided after the document was
put through various doors with no explanation it was confidential.
We are told there have been corrections made to this draft but it will not come to
council for approval before being sent out to public consultation?
I am not sure who is footing the bill for sending this out to public consultation because the
steering group did not ask for any money in this years budget.
I hope the new members of the council can sort out this mess.
I now rather pleased the chairman of the steering group Chris Clark colluded with the
Mayor to unlawfully kick me of the steering group after I had attended one meeting.
I have spoken to another member of the steering group who has worked hard on this
project and he stated he had no knowledge of what Chris Clark did.
Before publishing this post I shared the document with a Rutland County Councillor and asked their
opinion the response was 'it is not fit for purpose'
Thank you Chris Clark, Michael Haley and Adam Lowe for wasting £25,000 of our money.
