Welcome to the Oakham and Rutland News blog! I'm Martin Brookes, your Community Editor, excited to bring you the latest updates from the vibrant heart of Oakham and Rutland. Our new local news website is your go-to source for comprehensive coverage of everything happening in our community. From breaking news and local events to community spotlights and personal reflections, we've got you covered.
Lib Dem Rutland County councillor Abigail MacCartney "I feel frankly ashamed unfortunately now to call myself a Russophile."
Abigail MacCartney, who met the man responsible for the war in Ukraine around 20 years ago - when he first came to power.
Cllr MacCartney was among other Rutland County Councillors to unanimously approve a motion pledging support for Ukraine.
Rutland County Councillors used publicly funded email addresses for political purposes.
Investigation from Marie Rosenthal Interim Monitoring Officer at Rutland County Council
I have now investigated this matter of using a council email address as a contact point to canvass new members of the Lib Dem party. This is a misuse of council resources .
The members concerned have apologised for the error and have stopped using that leaflet .
In future they will use personal emails or a group email.
In their defence, the advice to councillors in the past has been vague as to which email address they should use from time to time.
Council email addresses are to be used only for ward work and other related council business.
I am updating the Member Code of Conduct to provide clear guidance on the issue.
I wonder why the code had not been previously updated?
A few years ago a conduct complaint against a Conservative Councillor was upheld.
He had also misused his .gov email address.
Paul Browne Lib Dem Candidate Letter delivered to selected Oakham Residents for the Oakham South Rutland County Council By-Election 2021
Below is a copy of the letter, delivered by a good looking Lib Dem today.
I am no longer on the local mailing list since Cllr Gale Waler should have retired.
Although I remain on the National list.
The content of the letter is not that different from the leaflet delivered the other week.
The candidate still thinks as a Councillor you can decide what opens up in our vacant shops. If he is elected he has a lot to learn. He mentions a town full of charity shops and politicians.
Opticians reminds me of the time, when I was a town councillor and attempted to support that opinion, first I was verbally attacked in the street by a drunk friend of the landlords son, then Rutland County Councils planning wrote to me and quoted European law, that basically states no one could object to the change of use. I do often wonder why, The County Council is required to even consider or consult on any application these days, when European law is quoted and central government has taken away most local planning restrictions.
It would seem Mr Browne who claims to have been a expert in land and property law does not know the council cant tell landlords who they can let their property to.
The other point in his letter is a council can't sort out Oakham Medical Practice issues. Our MP can and although she is a Conservative she is trying and certainly helped me sort an issue.
I once used the services of Paul Browne solicitors to be fair to him I was duped into using one of his legal executives who was absolute crap and to this date over ten years later the issue has never been resolved. So he certainly won't be getting my vote.
