Cllr Dewis (left) Leicestershire Police Buddy (right) Inspector J Monks
I have finally received a copy of the chairmans review from oakham town council.
Councillor alf dewis read this out at the town meeting which no residents attended.
It starts I am pleased to present my review of the past year as chairman of oakham town council and town mayor.
(I imagine it felt quite lonely reading this out to an empty hall. Even his soldiers failed to turn up.)
He said the past year proved to be an excellent to be chairman and mayor the olympics and the diamond jubilee and I am honoured and privileged to have been elected to that position ( not elected by the public) otc celebrated the diamond jubilee with a very successful band event in Cutts Close on 5th June that attracted approx 4000 people.
(4000? Cllr Dewis can not count the often provides the local press with inflated counts)
The council again run 6 summer band concerts in cutts close that were very well received and supported by the people of oakham. Due to the success of these concerts the council has decided to invest additional funds to stage 7 or 8 concert this year that will run from 9 june to 22 september.
( the town council for some strange reason decided to cut funding 4 these concerts and now sees that giving back some of what it took away last yeear is an achiement?)
As you can see cutts close is well used for public events and in 2012 again achieved the green flag award the only public park in rutland to hold this status.
( maybe other parish councils are not willing to waste public money paying to enter into such egotistic costly schemes)
The toilets run by council in church street car park, adjacent to Cutts Close, once again achieved the gold standard in the loo of the year award.
( no surprise there when you pay a company to award you what you want to win. The company now runs the same scheme for domestic homes)
2012 saw the london olympics oakham was honoured with the olympic torch procession through the town on 3 july. The torch was preceded by an excellent car cavalcade, organised by 0akham Town Partnership, with 18 cars built in the years that the olympics were held from 1948 to present day parading through the town flying the national flag of the host country.
The councils of a park at Royce's playing field in princess avenue attracted £50,000 investment in the toddlers play area which was financed by a loan from the public works loan board. This has along with additional tree planted greatly enhanced the park.
( members of the public did not feel the same they complained to oakham town council pointing out this is a playing field and not a park they were all so critical of the lack of consultation surrounding the tree planting)
The council also owns the fitness centre alongside royce's playing field which was badly in need of refurbishment. This was undertaken during the year from the council's reserves and now represents an attractive and valuable asset that has been let to another fitness provider at a rent 7x the previous vat amount of to support the council finances.
( I am not sure how are spending all the reserves on this project supports the council finances. The rent is below that quoted by stephen reid suveyors before improvements were completed. If the tenants remains for the entire period of the lease the council well only recover around 2000 pounds of its investment. The government auditor says that the income of oakham town council is below the amount where they can start looking at value for money. They have written to me and show me that they can look in to the failure to tender. There are 2 questions why did oakham town council not tender 4 works that cost nearly a quarter of last year's income? And why did they not put the building on the open market to achieve the highest possible market value rent? I have given answer on previous posts. I do not know what the auditor can do I will have to wait and see)
In 2012 the council turn to a new supplier for the christmas lights and also changed all the bulbs to power saving LED. Unfortunately this move did not prove to be a success hoped for. The supplier failed to erect the lights on the correct date and then rushed the job failing to correctly undertake the work resulting in a poor display. The supplier was advised of the council displeasure that resulted in a refund of part of the cost and the contractor being made aware of the date the lights are required to be installed this year.
The use of l e d bulbs appears to have resulted in an annual saving on electricity costs of approx. £1000. The council is about to review the christmas lights again to ensure the town has the display it expects in 2013.
( I don't think the town expects anything but crap from the town council every year they spend thousands of pounds putting up a poor show. Last year they spent £16,000 and Cllr Dewis is pleased the Clerk secured a £500 refund)
The council has installed an electric car charging point in church street car park that is now awaiting certification. It is predicted that electric cars will become more popular as petrol based fuel decreases. Oakham will be promoted as a place to top up and it is hoped will attract more visitors. Do to grants available for national and local sources the installation is expected to be cost neutral with no cost accruing to the people of oakham.
The council continues to support a number of local organisations including oakham in bloom. Oakham has entered for the britain in bloom awards in 2013 and the infrastructure is being restructured in anticipation of the inspection later this year, including replacing all hanging basket brackets. The council has engaged plantscape for the next 3 years for its planting and to maintain and water all the floral displays in 2013.
The council as a signatory for the bid is working closely with and supporting rutland county council with the heritage lottery bid for £2m for oakham castle. The first stage is now complete and await news on further progress.
23rd April, saint george's day, sore tonsil cancer in the freedom of oakham on saint georges barracks the first time such an award has been made by the town for 25 years when raf cottesmore received the honour in 1988.
The event entitled a service in all saints church followed by the presentation of freedom in the market place. The service men and women then exercise for freedom by marching through the town with drums beating bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed. The solute was taken by the lord lieutenant, Dr lawrence howard, accompanied by Maj Gen Tim Radford. also present number of senior army officers and civic dignitaries. The parade was a spectacle for the town that attracted publicity from the local press, leicester mercury and bbc east midlands today.
The council presented an illuminated scroll to the barracks who in return presented the parade commanders ceremonial sword to the council. Shortly the council's copy of the scroll together with a sword will be on display in the council chamber for anyone who wishes to see it.
(it was a pity the MOD announced the regiments move on the same day so much public money was spent)
With all these initiatives and events taking place over the past year the council has tried to keep an increase in budget to a minimum. Over the last 4 years the increase in the council tax for a band d equivalent house in oakham has risen only 1% equivalent to 50p per year.
( the council still does not set a proper budget budget. It continues to pick figures out of the sky and then decides how it shall spend during the following year)
Councillor dewis finished saying.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife for supporting me as mayoress, my counselor colleagues for their un swerving support during my term of office and also richard white the town clerk, vote is well timed advice and support. I trust that I've not given him too many headaches. my phone also go to allison greaves, the deputy clerk or maintaining the mares appointment diary and her efficient administration.
(It is my view Cllr Dewis has caused many people headaches and the bully should reliase he has failed when he achieves the worst ever public turn out the council has ever seen for a town meeting. Even his wife the Mayoress failed to show and accept her thanks.)
