I read the following article on Oakham Nub News, It makes me angry and also hopeful.
Oakham town councillor Adrian Orchard, is calling on the council to create an emergency response policy to help the town council grapple with such events and other emergencies.
Coun Orchard said: "Events at the Rutland Showground over the period 20-26th of June 2021 highlighted shortfalls in OTC policy for responding to unplanned events or natural disasters."
Oakham Town Council, he continued, "has a central role to play in developing and participating in all aspects of life in the town. It is a community leader, advocate and representative body."
For many years I have highlighted the inadequacies of Oakham Town Council and have been attacked for doing that.
It makes me angry that we have to pay, for a town council that has a dishonest incompetent Clerk he cant ensure the council has proper policies and procedures and constantly ignores most of the recommendations of the internal auditor.
Many times when I was a town councillor, I asked why do we not have an emergency plan? Why do we not store items to assist in an event of an emergency.
The constant response was that is the job of Rutland County Council. One time I raised my concern, I had little faith that Rutland County Council, could look after us in an emergency, they had just completed a desk top exercise, what they would do if Rutland was flooded and they failed this task.
The hope I have is what this new councillor Adrian Orchard is saying. We have had new councillors in the past, who have spoken in a similar way only to be shut down by the former Mayors like Adam Lowe and the Clerk.
During lockdown the Town Council proved it served no purpose for the town.
Of course the Mayor Dave Romney spent hundreds of pounds of our money buying unneeded snacks and treats for NHS staff at the local hospital, for Rutland Melton Labour Party social media publicity.
Cllr Adam Lowe arranged for thousands of pounds to be given to one of the richest care companies in the country to buy PPE.
Throughout the whole period of the Covid Pandemic the Town Council has not been there for the town.
The Town Council needs to look at all its policies and if the Clerk and the assistant can't help then get one that can.
I once asked the Town Council when Alf Dewis was Mayor, why does the Town Council not have a strategic plan. It would be a good point for this council to start at if it really does want to serve the town.
