The Reason I stopped Signing Off Payments at Oakham Town Council

The Reason I stopped Signing Off Payments at Oakham Town Council

All methods of payments at Oakham Town Council require two Councillors to sign

electronic payments included although these are signed after the transaction was
made.

Two electronic payments made under the heading salary were paid to the former
Clerk Richard white totally £18,000 only former Councillor Stan Stubbs signed
the paper work for electronic / online payments does not show who made the
payments.

When I became a signatory this year, I was not happy with the way the clerk
Allison Greaves presented the documents moments before a meeting start
expecting two Councillors to sign all without much time to check properly
The first time I asked if I could arrange a different time so I could check
the documents properly as that is what the tax payers of Oakham would
expect from their councillor, a little due diligence.
There was not a problem with this request.

The second time I asked there was a problem although the Clerk Allison
Greaves agreed I could check and sign them later, she walked away and
found a member who was willing to just quickly sign there and then.

One thing that did concern me whilst signing payments was I found
a total lack of care when it came to the payment of the Locum Clerks
expenses, Malcolm Plumb writes a list of expenditure on a sheet of
A5 note paper and does not attach any of the required receipts.
a considerable sum of public money has been paid out for parking
and not one receipt or pay or display ticket is attached.
Financial Regulations say expenses can only be paid if a receipt is
provided.

One of the major problems at Oakham Town Council is they don't like
people who ask questions. They only want people who will sign off
payments with out looking.

Andrew Bennett gave one of his reasons for resigning is he was frustrated
and had quickly learnt that the council did not like people who ask questions.

Another major problem is the need for members to rubber stamp anything
the office wants to do or a few of the old guard.

This does not go unrecognised by residents, but unfortunately none
of them are willing to do anything to bring about change. I guess they
are all happy and content to being paying this council a lot for very little
in return?




Dr John Park @DrDisrupTek
23h

Replying to @OakhamUK
It's clear they don't want you on the council. They don't want anyone that won't rubber stamp anything they want or raise genuine issues.