Oakham Deputy Mayor, Cllr Alf Dewis & Stan Stubbs, Confidential Report on Fitness Centre, Princess Avenue

Oakham Deputy Mayor, Cllr Alf Dewis & Stan Stubbs, Confidential Report on Fitness Centre, Princess Avenue

Below is the report both Oakham Town Councillors attempted to withhold from the public,
just because they don't want me blogging about the Fitness Centre.

Under the leadership of Cllr Alf Dewis when he was Mayor, Oakham Town Council spent
a quarter of it annual income helping people he knew.

Now they want to move out.

Oakham Town Council were to consider this report and make a decision on it at this
weeks meeting.

Unfortunately for the Council they produced their agenda and quoted the wrong act,
which would allow them to exclude the press and public,

They attempted to correct this by producing a new agenda. This time they quoted the
correct act, but failed to to specify the reason and the section of the act that would
be relevant to the item.

At the meeting they finally decided the public and press did not need to be excluded.

I then asked if the public could have copies of the documents not provided.

The Mayor Councillor Jayne Woodcock agreed.

Oakham Town Council never like to admit when they often get things wrong
they go through the motions and put on a good performance.

They knew they were advised they could not exempt the item because the
assistant Clerk had already prepared copies on white paper. It is important
to point that out because Oakham Town Council produces all confidential
papers on Red. (Rutland County Council use yellow)

The Mayor said she would adjourn the meeting for the public to digest the
content.

Durring the adjournment, I objected to the item being considered.
The public present could not give deputations on the item and the documents
had not been published and made available to the wider community.

A Councillors proposal to allow the public present to give deputations
then was rather silly. I thought he had learnt a bit more since becoming
a Rutland County Council.

The Mayor decided the council had not complied with the law and
persuaded Councillors to defer the item until January 2015

Reading the document they did not want us to see, I can not see anything
that was not already known,

If this disgraceful council could get away with it they would hide all
thier business from the public they are meant to serve, they are a disgrace.

At a previous meeting when this item was considered Cllr Dewis
did not vote due to my allegations.

It seem a bit odd the Council asked him and Cllr Stubbs to look into this
item and produce the report.

As I said in my public deputation Cllr Dewis our Deputy Mayor needs to take
a close look at the Localism Act because if Leicestershire Police decide they are
going to enforce it he could find himself under arrest, hopefully.

Fitness Centre, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland

FITNESS CENTRE AT 2 PRINCESS AVENUE

The tenants have notified Oakham Town Council that they wish to end
their lease and move to the Oakham Enterprise Park at the former
prison.

The council agreed the tenants must stick to the terms of the lease and pay
all monies due if they leave early.

Cllr Dewis considers demolition of the building as an option! disgraceful when
you consider Oakham Town Council spent a quarter of it's income setting
up this private business.

Cllr Lucas asked for assurance that the tenant should put the building back
into the condition when they moved in.

The tax payer recently replaced The fitness centres fence, something they were
responsible for.

Cllr Woodcock said the business owners had been given a bad press
and mentioned they had replaced the heating out of their own pocket.

A previous interested party was mentioned.

Cllr Stubbs and Cllr Dewis and the Clerk

Will be having a meeting with a lady who wants to open a nursery school.

Cllr Martin raised concerns about a nursery because most schools nearby
were not full. She would also like the council to consider a move into
the property.

Cllr Dewis said he would not mention his preferred option for the building
at this stage although later in the meeting he can be heard mentioning
demolition to another councillor. A expensive and wasteful option when
you consider the huge amount of tax payers money the council had already
spent.

Cllr Lucas said the way the council were handling the matter was crazy.

Cllr Woodcock said she had met the tenant and had told them this would
be coming before to full council and she felt they should be held to the
terms of the contract because she had never been let of a contract.

Cllr Lucas said if a nursery school puts in low toilets they should be made
to replace them with normal ones if they moved out.

Cllr Lowe asked if the budget for next year could reflect the possible
loss of income.

Cllr Lucas appeared not to trust the people selected to investigate the
situation. Suggested Adam Lowe should be on that working party.
she said "You know where I am going"

I tend to agree with her this building has never been put on the open
market and like the current tenants most have been friends of some
one on the council.

Sarah Outen, Sharon Spencer, Opening of New Play Equipment. Royce Recreation Field, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, May 2010

Sarah Outen, Sharon Spencer, Opening of New Play Equipment. Royce Recreation Field, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, May 2010



Sharon Spencer former Oakham Mayor



Sarah Outen and Sharon Spencer






Cutting the ribbon







































Cllr Joyce Lucas






Cllr Charles Haworth



Cllr Alf Dewis

Oakham Town Council to contribute towards a Difibrilator, Princess Avenue

Oakham Town Council to contribute towards a Difibrilator, Princess Avenue

Cllr Lucas's Charity The Karen Ball Fund will also contribute towards cost.

Cllr Lucas  said The Town Centre installations will have to wait for them to be co-ordinated?

One like above will be installed in the ward Cllr Lucas lives and represents.

Oakham Town Council Installs A Piece of Disabled Play Equipment, Royce Recreation Ground, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, Photograph

Oakham Town Council Installs A Piece of Disabled Play Equipment, 

Royce Recreation Ground, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland 

The above is a roundabout which can be used by wheel chair users.

Royce Recreation Ground, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, New Play Equipment Arrives Photographs

Royce Recreation Ground, Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, 

New Play Equipment Arrives Photographs

Body Power, Oakham Fitness Centre, Princess Avenue, Champagne Celebration, Oakham Town Council Spends Over 60k of tax payers money supporting private company

Body Power, Oakham Fitness Centre, Princess Avenue, Champagne Celebration, 

Oakham Town Council Spends Over 60k of tax payers money supporting private company

Saturday the Champagne flowed as a local 

business celebrated its £60,000 + wind fall 

from Oakham Tax Payers.

The centre was opened by Oakham's Mayor Clrr Alf Dewis

When the previous fitness centre closed the council discussed 

what they should do with the property they hold in trust for

Oakham residents. 

It was suggested the council stopped paying Victoria Hall over 

£10,000 a year to rent two small rooms and move there.

The clerk said the cost to convert the property would be around

£30,000 and he did not think the public would approve.

I can not see why when you consider three years rent would cover 

the cost.and the premises could have also been used for community purposes.

the property was valued in the state the last tenant left it.

Steven Reid gave it a rent value of £12,000

So why did Oakham Town Council change its mind and decide to not put the 

property on the open market?

Why did Councillor Adam Lowe state at a public 

meeting he was chairing "He and other members were shocked

when they were told the cost of the refurbishment?"

Why is it only taking £9,000 a year rent? this means when the 

six year leas ends they will have lost money.

I believe this is the biggest miss-appropriation of public money in the history of Oakham Town Council.

It stinks of corruption.

Oakham Town  Council has spent a quarter of its annual precept supporting a local company.

The Local Government act states the precept must only be spent providing services and activities that

benefit the parish. 

The  fitness Centre is of little or no benefit to the parish of Oakham, it is a commercial profit making company assisted  by the tax payer. I think the tax payer has pumped enough cash into this venture, it is not unreasonable to ask for some sort of return, it is clearly not going to make any from the rent, so  maybe the owners would like to  hand over some shares in the company to the tax payer?

Speaking with local people this morning, people could not believe that so much of their money has been spent on a private company

One even said they might consider asking the company for free membership in return for her monthly council tax payment.

I am writing to our MP Alan Ducan to find out what government department can look into this expenditure.

Work Starts On New Toddlers Play Area Royce Recreation Ground Princess Avenue Oakham Town Council £50k debt Good Publicity For Joyce says Cllr Lowe

Work Starts On New Toddlers Play Area Royce Recreation Ground 

Princess Avenue Oakham Town Council £50k debt Good Publicity 

For Cllr Joyce Lucas says Cllr Lowe

Oakham Town Council is borrowing £50,000 for a new toddlers play area in Oakham.

I raised the state of the play area in Willow Crescent with my ward Councillor who is Adam Lowe
I ask why hundreds of thousands of pounds had been spent on the two other parks but nothing more than
a bit of grease on the swings when a resident complained about the noise as they rust away.

He responded the other two parks were bigger which gives an opportunity for good  publicity for the council
when they spend thousand on them.

He went onto say we are doing the work at Royces so Cllr Joyce Lucas can gain a little more publicity as the ward councillor publicity she enjoys.

Cllr Adam Lowe is the Planning and Parks Committee Chairman and Deputy Mayor.

He complained to the police because I recorded his conversation he claims it is harassment.

I don't, I call it evidence.

It was not my intention to record Cllr Lowe I choose to record at certain public events due to past
threats received verbally by those connected to local governance. I felt if  I recorded them the police might
take action and if I tell them it  might just  act as deterrent.

Adam used to be a nice guy until he joined the mob.

He also told me being a Cllr was not what he expected.

At the funfair this week I witnessed they  old Adam enjoying himself with his family, he even smiled  at me.

Makes a change from snarls from other councillors like Lucas and Haworth to name just two.

Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland

Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland

Oakham Fitness Centre Princess Avenue,Oakham, LE15 v Oakham Town Council

Oakham Fitness Centre Princess Avenue,Oakham, is one of  three tenants Oakham Town Council receives rent from. The Fitness Centre is currently in arrears with it rent and finally at last nights Council meeting, Councillors voted to start the legal process.

Oakham Town Council lets 3 public properties to elite groups in Oakham for next to nothing rent.

Oakham Fitness Centre Princess Avenue,Oakham £1,200.00 a year they only paid £597.50


Oakham Tennis Club £700 a year


Oakham Bowls Club £620 a year




None of the above are paying a fair commercial rate, the clerk told me its how the old boys drew up the leases a few years ago.


Personally I think this stinks the properties belong to the public, were paid for by the public.
Oakham Town Council is not a charity.

The fitness centre should be repossed and the premises used as a local community centre.