Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
PRESS
RELEASE
Last
week Oakham Town Council decided to refuse the request from
Cottesmore Hunt to hold their annual Boxing Day Meet on Cutts Close.
Following the announcement there was considerable criticism from the
hunt fraternity but in addition support from local people. The
Council took the decision purely on health grounds and not as some
reports indicated as ‘anti-hunting’.
Cutts
Close is maintained by the Council to a fairly high standard and used
predominantly as a children’s playground. It was the view of the
Council that allowing the hunt with its associated horse and dog
droppings was not conducive with allowing children to use the park
shortly after the hunt had left. The Council has allowed the Hunt to
use Cutts Close for many years with an agreement that they leave the
site ‘as found’ but unfortunately last year was not to the
Council’s satisfaction. The Hunt do their best to tidy up but they
are unable to thoroughly clean the site as the foulings are trodden
into the usually saturated ground by the horses.
Alf Dewis, the Chairman of Oakham Town
Council said, “The Council realises that the Boxing Day Meet is a
spectacle that brings hundreds of people into the town and we
certainly do not want to stop it. Alternative locations have been
suggested such as The Market Place and Burley Road Car Park which are
metalled areas and easier to clean but neither site is under the
control of Oakham Town Council. The Meet in Uppingham is held in the
Market Place and not in the children’s play area and park on Tods
Piece. Unfortunately, the request from the Hunt arrived at a late
stage which makes finding an alternative location more difficult to
secure in the time available. I have offered to do whatever I can to
help but there are no plans to revisit the decision unless some
additional information comes to light that we have not already
considered”.
Compiled
by Alf Dewis
Chairman
Oakham
Town Council
29
November 2015
