Parks And Planning Committee, Draft, 2015, Budget, Oakham Town Council

Parks And Planning Committee, Draft, 2015, Budget, Oakham Town Council

Oakham Town Council looking to Increase Share of 2012-2013 Council Tax Bill by 2.2%

Oakham Town Council looking to Increase Share of  2012-2013 Council Tax Bill by 2.2%

Oakham Town Councillor will be considering their budget for 2012 - 2013 at next Wednesdays
full council meeting. The budget proposes a precept increase of 2.2%

The budget includes a possible pay rise for the Clerk and Assistant Clerk.

Although there is currently a wage freeze for Local Government employees this appears to
mean nothing as we are told incremental increases are not included in this. There is, therefore
the possibility that salary increases may be awarded as a result of appraisals in 2012 - 2013.
In the case of the Clerk a one point incremental increase would equate to £1250 on the budget.
A similar increase for the Assistant Clerk would add £360. The assistant Clerk has a long way
to go before she catches up with the Clerk who if awarded this increase would hit the highest
pay recommended by Government.

In His Summary the Clerk says:

It has been stated in meetings that the setting of the budget is a somewhat arbitrary
process because of the lack of an overall Strategic Plan for the Council, However,
until such a plan is agreed he process outlined is the only way in which a budget can
be determined.

At a meeting last year I raised the issue of the lack of any plan as a Councillors
question and the official response was the Council does not need one. Why the
sudden change? Cllr Dewis had a brain wave at a recent meeting so the Council
needs one?

Another point of interest in the Clerks summary is an admission to something I
have highlighted for some time and been attacked for doing so.

It reads: Although it could be argued that the Council is not responsible for
a great deal in the Town.......

I agree it cost the tax payer a fortune for very little in return, Well done Clerk.

How Oakham Town Council will spend your £209,690 Budget 2011/2012

Oakham Town Council has set its budget for the next year this is how they plan to spend your £52.14

£48,000 to be spent on wages

£10,200 for the rent of Victoria Hall

£4,800 rates for offices and toilets

£1000 gas and electric

£5,000 insurance

£2000 on postage and stationary

£1000 telephone and internet

£2000 subscriptions and publications

£200 Expenses and travel

£1500 Training and Conference

£1600 Audit Fees

£1500 Legal Fees


Cutting the grass and picking litter in Cutts Close, Willow Crescent and Royce Recreation Ground £21,050

Hanging Baskets £15,000

Oakham Cemetery £6,000

CCTV £2,000 and Dog Control £1,000

Toilet cleaning went up to £16,000 from last year £12,000 same contractor used.

£23,000 to spent on general purposes this includes Christmas lights and the promotion of Oakham

Parks and recreation is set to spend £27,940 this includes works on trees and the summer concerts at the bandstand.

The Local Government Election is expected to cost Oakham Town Council £6,000

Roger Begy OBE Leader of Rutland County County Council's Budget Speech

Roger Begy OBE Leader of Rutland County County Council's Budget Speech.

I was hoping to publish a copy of Conservative Leader of Rutland County Council budget speech.

Unfortunately Rutland County Council can not provide a copy of this document because Roger Begy has binned it himself.

Best place for it!!!!

I can not believe such an important record is not kept.

Geoffrey Pook 

To Martin Brookes

Hello Mr Brookes.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to contact you sooner.  Unfortunately, Mr Begy has disposed of his speech and has not made a copy.

Regards

Geoff Pook

Geoff Pook | Head of Corporate Governance

Rutland County Council

Catmose, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP

t: 01572 722577  f: 01572 758305

e: gpook@rutland.gcsx.gov.uk

www.rutland.gov.uk

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Rutland County Council List of Cash Poorly Invested Total £19.6 million

Above is a list of Rutland County Council Cash investments.

The Chief Executive Helen Briggs has said some of this cash is surplus.

I wonder how much? how many millions of public money is surplus.

If Mrs Briggs and her staff invested this money correctly, there would be no need for cuts in services.
The interest alone would cover the cut backs, we were asked to vote for last week.

I took a quick look at my banks webs site, I can open an account with  £1 and receive 2.5% on a instant access on-line account.

Why is Rutland County Council happy to leave this cash in banks like HSBC and Barclays earning nothing?

Its a disgrace. 

Rutland County Council £19.634.173.80 cash investements

RUTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

INVESTMENTS AS AT 17 JANUARY 2011

Rutland County Council has public money invested with the following organisations:

HSBC - Sterling Liquidity Fund
HSBC - Money Market
Coventry Building Society
Lloyds TSB
Bank of Scotland
London Borough of Brent
Skipton Building Society
Santander
Nationwide Building Society
Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation
Barclays Bank
Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation
Clydedale Bank
Yorkshire Building Society
Principality Building Society
NMRothschild&Sons
Heritable Bank - ln Administration






£19.634.173.80 is the total sum invested and interest rates are very poor these range from 0.33% in the HSBC (a total disgrace) to the higher 1.8% paid by both Lloyds TSB and The Bank of Scotland.

What interests me the most is Heritable Bank this pays 6.09%

This is  a Landsbanki owned Scottish Bank,

The Leader of Rutland County Council Roger Begy said we had lost £1,000,000.00 in this bank.

Last year he told the public "we had got it all back"

This week The Leader of the Council Roger Begy said he never said such a thing?

He said Rutland County Council had recovered £850,000 and it was likely the Council will loose £125,000
This was confirmed by Helen Briggs Chief Executive.

Why are they lying?

A freedom of information request reveals there is only £546,096.29 deposited in this account where is the other  £453903.71

I am aware a member of the public has made a Freedom of Information request to see hard copies of Statements relating to all the above investments. Rutland County Council has refused to provide these. Why? What do they have to hide? This is public money.

I am not sure who Rutland County Council employs these days to control finances, but surely this needs to be looked into.

Why are the public being asked how should we save £650,000 of important service when there is this amount of money invested.

£650,000 is a small amount of the total sum the council intends to cut, another 100+ staff will be going soon.

7 Sins of Rutland County Council Vote for Cuts what a farce!

7 Sins of Rutland County Council Vote for Cuts what a farce!

Rutland County Council budget consultation 2011.
How much did it cost Rutland County Council to produce? these voting cards,
yes they call them voting cards!
Each one has been carefully hand made by a Rutland County Council employee so a few hundred people could vote.
Which two cuts from seven would they like to see imposed on the rest of Rutland.
As one a person who commented pointed out earlier this is not a vote. I and plenty of other people have described it as a farce and it is.
When the cuts are imposed the Tory Controlled Council will say we had a public mandate the people agreed to the cuts, I say my arse, the people did not agree to the cuts!

The council web site only allows one vote why?

Rutland County Council has £19 million invested in accounts abroad, so why are they forcing people to suffer these cuts?

1p Saving Oakham Town Council Budget for 2011-2012 1p Saving

At fourth attempt last night Oakham Town Council set its budget for 2011-2012 saving council tax payers of Oakham 1p I am not a maths expert so I can not say how much of a saving that is once the 1p is divided between all the the residents.

The budget takes into account a £900 over spend on the previous year.

The largest cost is the new contract awarded to Cory Environmental (I knew I should have placed that bet)

So it's goodbye to VALE MAINTENANCE.

The Second largest cost is administration this includes the Clerks generous salary.

I wonder if they budgeted for the cost involved for their campaign against me, the Standards bill is going to be huge now the Ethical Standards Officer has refereed the investigation to a tribunal.

The good news for local people is as Follows Oakham Town Council is not asking for an increase in Council Tax (Precept) it is seeking £209.690 to spend as it pleases, 1p less than last year, Well done Oakham Town Council!

Oakham Town Council Grants and Finance

The statement said: “Stamford Town Council’s requirement to submit verified audited accounts in respect of applications for grants of public money is entirely normal, fiscally prudent and best commercial practice to ensure sound judgement and complete transparency.  Stamford Mercury


Is this normal? No not so for Oakham Town Council.

Oakham Town Council only dish out money to groups they know and don't ask for the above, recently they gave a grant to the Oakham Festival and then asked the committee to let the council know how they have spent the money before just before the event to be held this summer. This is a large sum of public money given with no control over how it is spent. The CAB were the only group who provided accounts.

Only one awful town Cllr, was willing to question why the Council was giving away so much more money than originally expected, the Chairman's response was don't worry the budget can be juggled.

This evening Oakham Town Council will be attempting for the fourth time to set the budget for the next financial year.

I am not saying its an easy task, but when you pay someone so much much money, you would expect them to know what they are doing.

The Grants should not have been awarded before the budget was set.

I wonder if the budget includes provision for the Town Clerks Guaranteed annual pay rise? 

Did The Clerks friends fear if there was a major change of Councillors in May, they would not get the cash?
 
Quite frankly it stinks!

I am told the government proposing to a cap of £2,000 on grants given by the councils from next April and groups like Oakham Festival will have to show proof that they can raise funds to match the grant.

 Rutland County Council Savings Proposals

There are seven savings proposals in total that the council would like us to consider they would like us to believe they listen to us.... Just in case they do...

When you have read through these proposals carefully, please complete their online survey to register which savings proposal would be your first choice to implement.

If you have any other suggestions, please complete the suggestion box with your views.

Option 1 - Charges for Community Care Services

Potential Saving £125,000

• Maximum care charges to rise from a maximum limit of £170 per week to a maximum of £300 per week.
• A charge will be made for second carers (this is currently free)
• Increase net assessable income from 85% to 100% (how care costs are worked out)

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 2 - Changes to CA Site Opening Hours

Potential Saving £49,000

• Change opening hours of the CA Sites (tips) at Cottesmore and North Luffenham.
• New winter opening hours (11.00am - 5.00pm) - currently 8.00am—6.00pm.
• New summer opening hours (10.00am - 6.00pm) - currently 8.00am—8.0-0pm.
• North Luffenham (Morcott) CA Site will also close Tuesday - Thursday. It currently opens seven days a week.

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 3 - Changes to Payments at Council Offices

Potential Saving £22,000 - £45,000 (from Yr.2 onwards)

• The number of cash payments at the council is falling. DOWN from 3503 (2009) to 2174 (2010) NOTE: Figures relate to 1 April—31 July period.
• Proposal is to switch to ALL PAY - which would enable customers to pay at any one of 20 outlets across Rutland.
• These outlets, found in towns and villages, including supermarkets, village shops, newsagents and petrol garages.
• This new improved method of payment would remove payment facilities at Catmose.

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 4 - Changes to Library Hours and Culture

Potential Saving £100,000

• Close at 5pm (currently 7pm) on weeknights at Ketton, Ryhall and Uppingham libraries. NOTE: This would only happen if no alternative route (i.e. volunteers) was found.
• Close on Saturdays at Ketton and Ryhall.
• Reduce Oakham Library evening opening from 3 days a week to 2 days.
• Staff savings (libraries and museum savings)
NOTE: If supported, these savings will be made throughout 11/12.

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 5 - Changes to Bus Services in Rutland

Potential Saving £108,300

• Stop running the 47 bus service between Belton-Uppingham-Peterborough. NOTE: Alternative transport would be provided (at less cost) for students wishing to travel to college in Peterborough. This service costs the council £8.54 per passenger.
• Stop running the 20 service between Oakham and villages. NOTE: This service costs the council £11.40 per passenger.
• Introduce 9.30am to 11.00pm time limit for concessionary travel. NOTE: This will put concessionary travel times in Rutland in line with the national scheme.
• Withdraw travel tokens. NOTE: Disabled members of the community who live in areas outside ‘Call Connect scheme’ will retain travel tokens.

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 6 - Reduce Costs of Highways Related Services

Potential Saving £150,000

• Reduce overall costs of the department and the work that it carries out.
• Services that would see a reduction would include:
o Street cleaning
o Grass cutting
o Road repairs

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

Option 7 - Less Support (Financial) Provided for Schools

Potential Saving £100,000
• More services provided BY schools rather than FOR schools
• No additional local funding for school services
• Less training for teachers and support staff provided by funding from council
• Less expertise based full-time at the council regarding education matters.

Think this should be implemented? Register your views through the online survey

 

 

Oakham Town Council next full meeting Victoria Hall Oakham

Oakham Town Council next full meeting Victoria Hall Oakham

This is held in the Gold Room.? on Wednesday 1st December 2010  8.00pm a bit later than normal I assume this is so Councillor can go through the farce that is interviewing a few members of the public who want an easy entry into the Council and the lucky person will be co-opted later.

The Council Chamber
Victoria Hall
High Street 
Oakham
Rutland

Not much on the agenda.

Once again the Town Council will appoint a new Councillor due to lack of interest from the public.

The will also consider an application by the Cottesmore Hunt to use Cutts Close on Monday 27th December.

They will also consider two planning applications.

APP/2010/1102/APB Mr Adrian Palmer
Erection of new detached garage and conversion of existing garage into a playroom
36 Stamford Road Oakham

APP/2010/1172/DTR Trustees of Victoria Hall 

Publish Post

Installation of notice and events panel to front elevation of building
Victoria Hall 39 High Street

And last will it be third time lucky for the clerk Cllrs will discuss the Third Draft Budget and make any appropriate decisions thereon.

Councillors decided not to increase the council tax burden for next April just before elections in May and a considerably large wage increase and contractors charges are likely to increase so it is making it a difficult task to set the budget for 2011 -2012