Backing For three Anti Corruption Councillors, Rutland County Council, Rutland Times, Letter

Backing For three Anti Corruption Councillors, Rutland County Council, Rutland Times, Letter

It good to see a letter from a member of the public questioning the behaviour of Rutland County
Council and the expense the public will be paying for. £8,000 for a report into the activities of
three elected councillors.

Helen Briggs the chief executive claims the report to be produced will be independent, despite
stating the firm of solicitors is well know the council.

It's a disgrace so much tax payers money is to be wasted.

I agree with the letter writer and always said it in the past and now, our local governance does have
a lot to hide otherwise why do they always respond in a bullying fashion. If you have nothing to hide
why behave like thugs?

Oakham Town Council Civic Service, Oakham Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis, Cookies of Oakham

Oakham Town Council Civic Service, Oakham Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis

In an attempt to publish something good about Oakham Town Council I have lodged a freedom of information request with the council.

Unlike the previous Mayor Cllr Joyce Lucas, who held a piss up in the castle spending nearly £1,500 of tax payers money on booze and food and chocolate shot glasses for her hangers on, which  raised £300 for The Oakham Branch of The Royal British Legion, The current Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis said his civic event would be held to reward residents, who have done a good job within the community for example charity workers.

The local press, The Rutland Times, always pleased to print photographs and waffle provided by those in power failed to publish any details of those rewarded for their good work.

Public money was used to reward these people, I have no objection to that, what I object to is being told by the Clerk, is those rewarded with public money could be protected by the data protection act.

I have since clarified my request, I don't require the home address of any person. It would be nice just to know the names of the people and what charity they have supported and what work they have done.
Oakham Town Council is such a tiresome organisation.

I have gleaned part of my original request from the published schedule of payments.

So far I can see the private event held by the Mayor Councillor Dewis incurred the following costs.

Glasses and other Items from Wilkinsons Oakham £7.27

Wine from Tesco £128.84

Plates from Tesco £5.72

Sandwich platters from Cookies Coffee Shop Mill Street Oakham  £468
either the council had a lot of food waste or they were ripped off by Cookies?
looking at their platters price list the most expensive is £21 and this serves 10
if all the platters were the most expensive that would feed nearly 250 people.
The castle can only legally hold an event for around half that number. So I can
only assume in a space of less than 12 months the councillors enjoyed a feast
of gluttony at the expense of local tax payers.

http://cookiesofoakham.com/uploads/files/30/Cookies%20buffet%20platter%20Nov%202012.pdf

Sally Holmes table decorations £25.00

Oakham Fireworks, Photographs 2012, Oakham Rugby Club, Rutland, Martin Brookes

Oakham Fireworks, Photographs 2012, Oakham Rugby Club, Rutland, Martin Brookes

Rutland Lions, John Photographer Rutland Times and Rutland Mercury

PCSO's Leicestershire Constabulary in silly winter hats

A very cold night, thankfully it was dry this year. 

The crowd was as big as ever, I imagine it is due to financial pressures that there was a large crowd of spectators outside this year.

Mr Gray from Rutland Lions came out to collect donations, of course asking Mr Brookes, do you have any money? If I had the money I would have gone inside the ground, I think it was wrong for the Lions to come outside begging and especially asking me by name. 

I purchased my poppy for remembrance Sunday today a much better cause.

New Higher Priced Rutland Times Launched Today, Disappointing Relaunch

  New Higher Price RUTLAND TIMES Relaunched 4 Sep  2012  

Today saw the relaunch of the Rutlnd Times selling at a new higher price of 55p

The free gifts promised is a football DVD, yes most annoyingly to the Average Rutland Times Reader
not available in VHS or  Beta Max Format.

The editorial content remains unchanged and there are about three small job adverts.

The Rutland Times leads with a story that first appeared in the news around 10 days ago.

Text content and photographs are framed with the most annoying black or green bars?

I did find the cartoon rather amusing, It refers to a news item from last week.
Tory Leader Roger Begy celebrated 40 years of Oakham Library by cutting a cake. It has a caption that suggests the Tory Leader could be corrupt when he returns overdue library books. Surely Roger would never do such a thing ? ;-)

                          Above written by Martin Brookes                         

If you are a fish and chip fan the paper is worth buying just for the coupon, the buy one get one free Fish and Chip Offer
redeemable at this Fish & Chip Shop in Oakham.

                                                                                               

                                                                                               


The Rutland Times also failed to take advantage of its own advertising spaces to promote its relaunch, there was also a
noticable lack of publicity at its South Street Office

The New higher priced thinner Rutland Times and the U E F A  The Best of European football
Golden Moments I

One retailer said going by the few copies of the fee DVD they had received sales expectations
were never going to be that high (50)

                                                                                                          

"Just Slip in those over-due book while I cut the cake"

                                                                                                 

Rutland and Stamford Mercury and Rutland Times Relaunch

This Week sees the relaunching of The Stamford Mercury (also Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury, Rutland and Stamford Mercury and Rutland Mercury) based in Stamford, Lincolnshire claims to be "Britain's oldest newspaper".Berrow's Worcester Journal and London Gazette also claim this honour. They say never believe what you read in a newspaper, The Mercury's masthead proclaims that it has been published since 1695.

Three editions (Stamford and The Deepings, Rutland and Bourne) are published every Friday.Most of these titles only differ by title, the content is mostly the same.  The circulation figure in 2011 was 16,675. 

The Mercury is now owned by East Midlands Newspapers Ltd, part of Johnston Press. Sister newspapers include The Peterborough Telegraph,  Melton Times and The Rutland Times which is also being relaunched this week.

Johnston Press has destroyed the local press. This year alone it killed off Five of its local daily newspapers – the Halifax Courier, Scarborough Evening News, Northampton Chronicle & Echo, Peterborough Evening Telegraph and the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph.

Will the temptation of free gifts and more council press releases, tempt the public to save the Rutland Times?

I think not, the biggest complaint I hear is the big price for a wafer thin paper. So thin there is not even enough paper to wrap the fish and chip offer.

Rutland folk are not easily fooled they know it's no longer a local paper once admired by readers because it was owned and published by a local man.

Kate Ade, once said to me the demise of the local press will harm local democracy.

I agree and the lack of true local journalism here in Rutland, has certainly contributed towards a public apathy.

The local Tories have for far to long enjoyed, controlling the weak journalists this group has employed over the years.

This tweet is a perfect example from a young lady, no longer employed by the group she tweeted at the time her employment was terminated. she claimed to be a senior reporter at such a young age. She  is so young she could not see the Tory Leader had her in his 

pocket .

Megan Horner ‏@Mercury_Megan
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Just had a phone call from RCC leader Roger Begy to thank me for my hard work-small things like that matter :)

Megan Horner ‏@Mercury_Megan

And as its final act......JP has withheld my pay slip! I'm expecting personal messages from the top bods to accompany my P45 ;)

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Rutland County Council We pay our council tax and we get nothing. letter Rutland Times

Letter: Pigeons are a pest

Published on Friday 21 September 2012 16:41

MY husband Martin went down to Rutland County Council to see someone as we have a problem with a certain tree and we have lots of pigeons nesting and as people know you can get a disease from pigeon mess.

My husband wasn’t able to see anyone and someone rang later to say they could not help apart from suggesting putting up a back drop.

We pay our council tax and we get nothing.

Mrs Sheila Smith
Parkfield Road
Oakham

http://www.rutland-times.co.uk/news/letters/letter-pigeons-are-a-pest-1-4291834

Oakham Fun Day What a load of Rubbish Rutland Times and Cllr Alf Dewis

Reading today's report in the Rutland Times about  Sundays Fun Day here in Oakham, you would
think the paper was writing about another town.

Once again we are treated to a page of non journalistic propaganda provided by Cllr Alf Dewis, Chairman of Oakham Town Partnership and Oakham Mayor.

Cllr Dewis would have trouble giving the correct time if you were to ask him such a simple question.

Rutland Times: A range of activities were held at Cutts Close and about 20 shops in Oakham extended their opening hours as part of a trial scheme to attract more people to the town on Sundays.

There were 9 additional shop openings.

You don't have to look far from the Rutland Times to find the truth about the day.

The traders have their own Facebook page and here is an example of their view of the day.and Twitter was not much better.

There were only 3 shops open along the high street and the two in Gaol Street closed at 1.00pm

So come of it Rutland Times and Cllr Dewis who are you trying to fool?

The Quoin Print Co Ltd, Oakham, Rutland

How was trading yesterday? Who opened up?

 ·  · 6 hours ago

• • 
    

    Visit Oakham It was very quiet! Shame there weren`t more shops open.....On mill Street, there was Lynett, Swans Antiques & Swans Kids....High st there was Walkers, Fat Face and Sally Holmes, Church Street there was Hirst & Hirst, Gaol Street / Knights Yard did well as did Northgate. Next time, hopefully we can do better though

    4 hours ago · 

Body Power Oakham Fitness Centre thanks tax payers for £60,000 2 Princess Avenue Oakham LE15 6PQ

A disgusting amount of public money has been spent on refurbishing this publicly owned property.

Oakham Town Council are the trusted owners of the property and have spent over £60,000
of public money making it suitable for a commercial tenant.

It would have probably been cheaper to rebuild.

The council are renting the property to the tenant below market value and will not start making
any money until after the new lease expires.

I don't blame the tenant, I understand them wanting to celebrate the opening, but I feel
the local tax payer has nothing to celebrate. The Town Council has squandered public money
to satisfy the need of a commercial company.

Body Power Oakham Fitness Centre I am sure thanks all Oakham all the tax payer for £60,000
I asked Oakham Town council if the would set aside a similar sum of cash to help me set
up  business in town, To date they have not responded.

I hope if the Rutland Times is going to publicise this opening it publishes the full details regarding
the cost to the tax payer and how it is not going to make any money from the letting.

The newly refurbished Oakham fitness centre is reopening on Saturday 22nd September 2012.

The mayor cllr Alf Dewis will be officially opening the centre at 10am 

Special guest appearance Dave Titterton two times Mr Britain and two times Mr Universe.

http://www.davetitterton.com/

Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012



Body Power Oakham Fitness Centre
2 Princess Avenue Oakham LE15 6PQ

www.bodypowerfitness.co.uk

Cllr Joyce Lucas and the Rutland Times "I don't carry money"

Earlier today Cllr Joyce Lucas's column seemed to find its way into the top stories on the The Rutland Times Website?

Joyce Lucas: A family sport that everyone in Rutland can try

What interests me about this weeks column is the total stupidity of the Councillor.

She says rather like our majesty the Queen:

The fact that I don’t carry money is in some ways a bit of a drawback. I tried, recently, to buy an item in an Oakham shop who refused to let me make the purchase with a credit card because the amount was so small. Needless to say I walked away and made the purchase in another town.

Driving to another town instead of popping to the bank?

This from a Councillor who whittles on about us supporting local companies.

Driving less and cycling more.

soldiers of 32 (Minden) Battery, 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, Oakham Parade Photographs, Rutland Times, BBC, ITV, St George's Barracks, North Luffenham

Rutland Royal Artillery marched through Oakham

Soldiers who had served six months in Afghanistan were welcomed to Oakham last June

About 50 soldiers of the Royal Artillery marched in Oakham Rutland after serving six months in Afghanistan.

Crowds turned out to welcome soldiers of 32 (Minden) Battery, 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, when they paraded through Oakham to mark their return.
The soldiers, based at St George's Barracks, North Luffenham, were joined by the Band of the Ghurkhas.
The regiment, which provides low level air defence, is the only Rapier Regiment in the British forces.

The troops then made their way to Oakham Castle where more than 20 servicemen and women were presented with their Operation Herrick campaign medals by Dr Howard. The Lord Lieutenant of Rutland

 the Chairman of Rutland County Council and the Mayor of Oakham were also present along with Chief Executive Briggs and Conservative Leader Roger Begy. The High Sheriff was also present.

The rain stayed away.

Oakham's Finest PCSO's on Duty

The Lord Lieutenant of Rutland accepts salute

Rob Persani from Rutland Radio Speak to  The Lord Lieutenant of Rutland

BBC Radio Leicester

Commanding Officer 16th Regiment Royal Artilery

Lieutenant Colonel James Phillips 

The High Sheriff of Rutland B G Hellyer Esq

and his cadet

Band of the Ghurkhas

Ladies from the chemist

Oakham Town Council Mayor Cllr Alf Dewis

Oakham People Photographer if you click here later you should see 

here photo set nora_hs,  

Oliver Rutland Times

Mr Paul Beech from http://www.soldierscharity.org/

and ex Oakham Mayor

Oakham PC Joe Lloyd playing the role of under cover mother

and PCSO Jay checking if the buggy is pavement worthy...

Ex Oakham Mayor Paul Beech Chats with The High Sheriff of Rutland

Links

ITV Central






Rutland Times  
Crowds line Oakham streets to welcome home Afghanistan

BBC Leicester

Rutland Royal Artillery to march through Oakham