A very few residents of Oakham have recently raised concerns about my practice of reporting on Town Council meetings via this site and my personal blog. It is important to clarify that it is neither uncommon nor wrong for a councillor to operate news sites or blogs to keep their constituents informed. In fact, across the United Kingdom, many councillors frequently use personal digital platforms to bridge the gap between complex official proceedings and the residents they serve.
It is no secret that Oakham Town Council is currently navigating a period of significant transition. The council is acutely aware that its current website is neither accessible nor compliant with the new accessibility laws introduced last year. Following a recent internal audit report, the council’s governance failure rate was recorded at 57%, leading to a formal condemnation of our current digital infrastructure.
Plans are already underway to replace the website entirely. In the meantime, I am deeply grateful for our small, dedicated staff. We are currently employing an experienced part-time locum Clerk who is methodically addressing a massive list of failings left by former staff. Supported by our acting deputy Clerk, they are working tirelessly to put the council back on track. This team is not only managing day-to-day operations but also untangling a long list of unresolved council decisions dating back more than a year.
My goal has always been to see a council that serves our town properly. While a small minority of people believe the activities of a public body like Oakham Town Council should remain private, I firmly believe that public money and public decisions require public scrutiny.
I make no apology for seeking transparency. I am very pleased to say that our current locum Clerk is committed to this same standard of openness. This was recently evidenced in the latest Clerk's report, which addressed serious financial issues regarding the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In the past, the lack of proper records for this public money might have been hidden from the public and even members of the council; today, it is being brought to light so it can be corrected. The council will shortly bring in auditors to examine all the council's accounts and processes.
Transparency is a collective effort. While I provide my own perspective on these issues, residents can always have access to the official administrative record. You can find the formal business of the council, including agendas, minutes, and supporting documents, through the following channels:
Agendas and Minutes (Not All Minutes are located on a single page this should show you the latest)
Please note that per standard procedure, draft minutes are always included in the agenda papers for the next meeting, where they are reviewed and approved by the council. So if you find our busy staff have not uploaded the latest minutes to the signed minutes section you can find them there.
The use of personal blogs and news sites by councillors is nothing new in UK local government, aimed at making local democracy more accessible. When a council's official digital presence is undergoing a necessary overhaul, these additional channels become vital for keeping residents informed about how their taxes are spent and how their town is being managed or not managed in the case of Oakham most services Oakham residents benefit from are provided and managed by Rutland County Council.
Oakham Town Council only manages Three open spaces that includes:
Cutts Close
Royce Playing Field, Princess Avenue.
The Centenary Field (not the play area) Barleythorpe Road
Willow Crescent
The allotments, Tennis and Bowls Club are managed by their own users.
My commitment to residents remains the same to provide the transparency that our residents deserve and to support the hard work being done to restore the integrity of Oakham Town Council.
Due to ongoing legal considerations, Oakham Town Council is currently unable to live stream our council meetings. i understand the importance of transparency and remain committed to ensuring the public can access and review the council proceedings.
To ensure that the meeting remains accessible to all, I will be publishing a full video recording of this week’s session later today. Please be aware that due to local upload speeds here in Rutland, there may be a delay before the video is fully available for viewing. I appreciate your patience as the file processes.
Before you watch the recording, I feel it is important to offer a personal apology to the community. During certain parts of the meeting, there were instances of aggressive and angry exchanges among some members. This behaviour did not reflect the standard of decorum I strive to uphold for our town council.
Having now experienced the complexities of the role firsthand, I have gained a new, profound appreciation for the immense hard work and emotional endurance required to effectively chair these meetings. It is a challenging position, and my priority remains to ensure that all future proceedings are conducted with the respect and professionalism that the residents of Oakham deserve.
Thank you for your continued engagement and for your understanding as I navigate these challenges.
