Oakham Town Council and Ashwell Garden Centre Update

Today I put my written complaint to the police regarding the contract to supply hanging baskets to Oakham Town Council.

I am waiting to hear from Rutland County Council. I have asked if there is a body amongst the local government watchdogs that can investigate this contract.

Interestingly a person a Leicestershire police said I have a valid point, so that gives me hope.

If nothing is done the good news is my complaints regarding the awarding of this contract has paid off and the tax payer has been saved around £11,000 

Personally I feel Richard White should be sacked, as a relic of the old boys club Oakham Town Council was. I say was because Councillor Alf Dewis say it is no longer one.

In some cases this is true we no longer see fat councillors in the Rutland Times having a annual Town Dinner at the Whipper Inn at the expense of the tax payer.

The Mayors slush fund has been closed.

If what Cllr Dewis says is true? I wonder why he voted for the computer contract when that was not tendered and the owner of that company is an associate of the clerk. Only one Councillor voted against, Cllr Adam Lowe who is also a special constable, He received a e-mail the following day, from someone at the council (he did not give name) questioning why? I think the answer is clear, he does not want to be seen supporting corrupt practices.

It remind me of the £30,000 for the bandstand roof, local builders still tell me if they knew the contract was going to be so lucrative they would have tendered.

A search on the internet and I can find many quotations mentioned to remove and remove a roof from a 3 bedroom house. I found one that even chucks in a loft ladder and a velux window all for £8,700

This why local builders did not quote for the bandstand because most felt it would only cost around £4,000 - £5,000

Of course the Clerks respectable friends like ex Cllr Paul Beech wrote to the paper and congratulated the Clerk in the Rutland Times after I complained, but I am not sure Mr Beech would consider a quote of £30,000 to re-roof his modest Bed and Breakfast value for money.

Here is the example:

Remove roof and re-roof property --> £8700. Includes;
+install insulation@125mm
+installation of 1x velux double glazed window
+scaffolding skips + building regulations
+Inclusive loft ladder

Ashwell Garden Centre and Oakham Town Council

I was surprised to see Oakham Town Council had reduced the budget for hanging baskets by £1,000 this year.


Last year we were told the bill was £16,000 the previous year £12,000.

Ashwell Garden Centre has indicated they would not be able to supply the baskets this year.

I pointed out the Clerk Richard White knows the owner of the Garden Centre and this may have been the reason for the contract being awarded to the garden centre. At no time did he declare an interest.

The owner of the garden centre is the former assistant town clerk.

The last two years the contract was not tendered, when I was a Town Councillor I asked the Clerk why? his reply was "no one was interested".

Last night behind closed doors the council awarded this years contract to Ashwell Garden Centre.

The Town Clerk declared an interest, stating that one of the persons tendering was a close personal associate.

Today I was given the following information.

Ashwell Garden Centre have been awarded the contract at a greatly reduced sum of £8,917.00

If the contract rose by £4,000 in 2010 can anyone explain why it has reduced by £7,000 this year.

The watering contract has been awarded to Mitsi Lanscapes around £4,000 less than the last years bill paid to Ashwell Garden Centre.

I think the figures show a very unsatisfactory state of affairs at Oakham Town Council.

I have been asked did the clerk pay for all the shrubs planted  in his garden last year when he went of sick?

I am hoping the surplus cash from the budget will not be squandered and returned to the tax payer next year in the form of a council tax cut.

Oakham Town Council needs to stop thinking the people of Oakham are cash points for them to draw money and spend as they please.

Ashwell Garden Centre & Oakham Town Council Freindship and Public Funds

Oakham Town Councils planning and general purposes committee met last night

They discussed a number of applications this included.

APP/2010/1138/PG Rutland Garden Centre
Retrospective application for change of use of part of first floor of retail unit from storage to living accommodation.
Rutland Garden Centre Rutland Village Ashwell Road

At this point the meeting turned into a complete shambolic mess!

All but four member declared a personal and prejudicial interest.

It took some time for them to leave the chamber along with the clerk.

Who all knew the applicant as she was once the assistant town clerk employed by Oakham Town Council. And it was also stated she was a close friend.

This is a very interesting development because this has never been declared at any time in the past.
The garden centre receives huge sums of money for the hanging baskets and watering throughout the summer.

When I was a councillor I question the high cost and the possibility of tendering and the clerk told me no one else was interested.

I can not see why when the contract runs into thousands of pounds it is a very lucrative contract.

Any way when they finally departed the chamber the remainder did not seem to want to deal with the application.

The members needed to elect a chairman so Cllr Dewis proposed. Cllr Charles Haworth because he was a senior member. He accepted of course this is total rubbish all town councillors are meant to be equal clearly not the case at Oakham Town Council.

Cllr Dewis was unhappy the council was being asked to consider the application, because they had not considered the original.

What does he not understand about a retrospective planning application? It means the applicant has already implemented the change without planning consent or any previous application.

Members were not happy to consider the application because it was outside the parish boundary and it was suggested it was solely a matter for Ashwell Parish Council.

The four members agreed not to comment on the application. It was clear they did not want to upset anyone.

As they returned to their original seats Cllr Haworth suggested they could have considered the matter further if they had ambition to expand their territory .

Cllr Alf Dewis added yes back into Leicestershire!