Oakham Neighbourhood Plan 2020

Oakham Neighbourhood Plan 2020

The extremely slow progress and high cost of Oakham Neighbourhood Plan is very disappointing.

This morning I viewed the website with a hope that improvements were being made.

https://www.oakhamnp.org.uk/  The website front page lessened any hope I had anticipated.

The latest news informs of the sad passing of one of the group members, the wrong year has been published.

Looking at the current draft document I can see little improvement.

I notice the incomplete list of Contributors to the development of the Neighbourhood Plan,  I find my name listed as a past contributor. Rather bizzare when you consider the then Mayor Michael Haley did everything he could to block my involvement. He himself later booted of the steering group after woman complained about his sexist nature at a town meeting.

About four years ago I made a small contribution by providing some photographs, all my attempts were to contribute to the plan by joining groups were blocked by former Mayors Alf Dewis, Adam Lowe and Michael Haley.

Before the elections of May 2019 the plan has never been of interest to councillors at Oakham Town Council. It would be correct to say their was no interest. only the Mayors who had been told of the financial gain to the council in the form of an extra share developers contributions received from Rutland County Council if a plan was completed.

It is unclear from accounts if Oakham Town Council has received any money at the lower scale from Rutland County Council over the last four years.

The draft plan has so far cost Oakham Town Council tax payers over £25,000 and four years on it is not fit for purpose.

The opportunities for grants were missed due to the pig headiness of  the former Mayors of Oakham.

If I could, I would have my name removed from the document, the document is an embarrassment.

Oakham as the county town of Rutland not having a suitable plan in place should also be an embarrassment to Oakham Town Council.