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Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Oakham Town Council Appoints New Deputy Mayor and Bolsters Staffing to Improve Public Response

By Local Democracy & Public Affairs Reporter  not affiliated to the BBC LDRS

Former Mayor Cllr David Romney Appointed New Deputy Mayor 


Oakham Town Council moved swiftly to fill key leadership roles and reinforce its administrative backbone during its Monday evening extra meeting, signaling a push for stability and improved community engagement.

The headline of the evening was the appointment of Cllr David Romney, who was officially named the council’s new Deputy Chairman and Deputy Mayor. Cllr Romney, a familiar face in local politics, steps into the role at a crucial time for the council as it navigates several transitional phases. His appointment was met with support from fellow councillors, who noted his dedication to the town.

In addition to the leadership vote, the council tackled pressing operational vacancies to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of Oakham’s local government.

The council formally agreed to appoint its temporary Locum Clerk to the permanent status of Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO). and agreed extra hours. This move secures a qualified hand at the wheel to manage the council’s statutory duties, legal obligations, and financial compliance.

Recognising the heavy workload currently facing the clerk's office, councillors voted unanimously to appoint an Temporary Assistant to the Locum Clerk.

The creation of the assistant role once appointed is expected to directly benefit Oakham residents. The new staff member will be specifically tasked with handling administrative duties and resident communications.

For a council that has previously faced calls for greater transparency and quicker response times, this dedicated resource aims to bridge the gap between local government and the public, ensuring that community queries, complaints, and ideas are handled more efficiently.

"Securing our financial oversight and opening up better channels of communication with the people of Oakham were our top priorities tonight," a councillor noted following the decisions.

With a bolstered administrative team and Cllr Romney stepping into his new civic role, Oakham Town Council appears well-positioned to tackle its upcoming summer agenda with renewed focus.


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The making of the Oakham Jeffrey Hudson statue at Rutland County Museum Oakham, by Stephen Nicholson Stone Mason "I don’t think he should be in the museum"


 

The making of the Oakham Jeffrey Hudson statue by Stephen Nicholson Stone Mason

I’m Stephen Nicholson a retired stonemason who was commissioned by Roy and Joan Walton to make the statue. My story is based mainly on by memories backed up with photos, newspaper reports and a few relevant documents going back 25 years to 2001.

I’m trying to be as accurate as possible. Roy a retired butcher and his wife Joan who has links to the Constance Grant Dance School were from Sheffield they moved to Oakham when they bought 29 Melton Road. The cottage which the blue plaque stating it was the birthplace of Jeffrey Hudson.

Realising the history attached to their new home, Joan developed the urge to have a statue made as there was no evidence of one in Oakham. She discovered there was a statue of him in Folkestone and corresponded with Shepway District Council but nothing became of that.

One Monday in late May 2001, Bridget McGlynn my partner was manning our market stall in Bakewell where we sold our hand carved stone ornaments. When I returned to pack the stall up in the afternoon, I was met with great excitement from Bridget. She said we’ve had a very usual request. A couple from Oakham being impressed with our work asked her “Would the mason be able to make a statue of England’s smallest knight?”. After taking their contact details this was the start of was to be a very challenging but interesting project. I’d not heard of this little historic character before but after a few weeks of research aided by Joan I was begging to get some ideas.

From archived photos of Jeffrey statues found in various locations in the UK. I was able to offer 3 design options. Roy and Joan decided on the day they preferred my friend Pete Dixon a professional design writer with experience in heraldry designs made some full working drawings, four elevations. From these I was able to make templates. Next I sourced a suitable block of Gritstone from Stoke Hall Quarry, by applying the templates they cut it roughly to size. Back at the workshop where I live in Sheffield the task commenced.

Stephen junior was my apprentice and John my younger brother who was the head mason at Stoke Hall Quarry and had a big hand in helping me. John could only come in his spare time at weekends. Roy and Joan made several visits to see the progress, we kept photos for their records. On completion we arranged to install the statue in the garden of Hudson cottage, it was a Sunday morning late in March 2002. From memory the Mayor at Oakham was present for the unveiling ceremony along with two curators from the museum (One possibly Tim Clough), I don’t have the documents to verify this.

After all the effort that went into this project not to mention the cost. I think Joan and Roy would have been very sad and disappointed with the outcome. The statue now after “improvement or transformation” bared no resemblance to Jeffrey Hudson. When he was young he was said to be only 18” Tall but after the age of 30 he has a growth spurt and bolted to a height of 3ft. Yes they’ve given him a boyish face and if he has been demilitarised why is he holding a rifle?. Just a few points to bear in mind, I don’t think he should be in the museum as this isn’t a good representation of the subject. For my own piece of mind I’ve commissioned my Son Stephen (Natural Stone Carved Creations) he’s now a renowned sculptor. He’s going to make me half size relief plaque of Jeffrey Hudson from the same stone as the original. My brother John is now Co-owner and director of Stoke Hall Quarry where all this began. I can’t wait to see how the plaque comes out, Stephen will vastly improve the face and make it look more like the image of the original archived design. He will show its progress of his Facebook page called Natural Stone Carved Creations.



Rutland Times October 19th 2001



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Exton Rutland Celebrates Victory as £70,000 Grant Secures New Village Play Park



Children, families, and residents in Exton are celebrating a major milestone following the announcement of a £69,467 grant from the FCC Communities Foundation. The funding guarantees the delivery of a brand-new, modern village play park, completely transforming the existing space into a safer, more inclusive, and deeply engaging environment for outdoor recreation.

The successful funding bid represents a massive victory for the community, driven heavily by the tireless efforts of Playground Action Group Exton (PAGE). The volunteer-led group took charge of the initiative after widespread feedback from local families highlighted how limited the village’s current play facilities had become. To ensure the new park truly serves everyone, PAGE spent months gathering input through household and schoolchildren’s surveys, public consultations, and direct feedback from residents, local businesses, and the Parish Council.

Ruth Pollard, the Chair of PAGE, emphasised that the impact of this grant stretches far beyond standard playground infrastructure. She noted that local families have long expressed the need for a welcoming space where children can stay active and build friendships safely. Pollard expressed immense gratitude to the FCC Communities Foundation, adding that the project is ultimately about supporting children’s long-term wellbeing, encouraging active lifestyles, and fostering a much stronger sense of belonging across the entire village.

While the £69,467 grant from the FCC Communities Foundation provides the major financial backing required to break ground, the project is also a testament to remarkable local generosity. Alongside the grant, PAGE successfully raised more than £11,000 entirely through community events, which was further bolstered by financial contributions from the Exton Parish Council and local corporate donors.

This collective dedication caught the attention of local leaders and the grant providers alike. Kiloran Heckels, Chair of the Exton Parish Council, praised the determination of the PAGE team and congratulated the village on demonstrating what can be achieved when an entire community unites behind a shared goal. Cheryl Raynor, Grant Manager for the FCC Communities Foundation which awards funding through the Landfill Communities Fund echoed these sentiments, expressing delight in backing a project so deeply rooted in local collaboration.

With all the necessary funding now officially locked in, the village can finally look forward to the construction phase. If everything goes according to plan, PAGE hopes the vibrant new play area will be fully completed and ready for families to enjoy by Autumn 2026.


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Rugby Legend Lewis Moody Rolls into Oakham on Epic 500-Mile MND Fundraiser

 


There was a powerful sense of homecoming at Oakham School this afternoon as former England rugby captain and World Cup winner Lewis Moody MBE rolled onto campus. The stop marked a deeply moving milestone in his grueling 500-mile "Lewis Moody XV Cycle Challenge" in aid of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Moody, who bravely shared his own Motor Neurone Disease (MND) diagnosis last year, is leading a tight-knit peloton from Newcastle all the way to Twickenham Stadium. Returning to Oakham School the very place where he boarded as a teenager before launching his glittering professional career carried immense emotional weight.

"It’s not a set of circumstances I ever imagined returning to Oakham under," Moody shared ahead of the ride, "but it feels incredibly important to me that the ride passes through places and communities that shaped my life. Oakham played a huge part in who I became, not just as a rugby player but as a person."

After catching their breath and soaking up a warm reception from the local community, the energy shifted toward the next leg of the journey. A spectacular peloton of around 30 cyclists comprising a galaxy of rugby greats, close friends, and local riders departed Oakham to accompany Moody on the afternoon leg toward Mattioli Woods Welford Road, the home of the Leicester Tigers.

The route is deliberately stitched together from the clubs and places that defined Moody's career. Having won seven Premiership titles and two European Cups with the Tigers, the arrival in Leicester promises to be an unforgettable evening.

The seven-day, 505-mile journey began on Sunday at Newcastle Red Bulls the former club of the late Scottish rugby icon Doddie Weir. Weir's wife, Kathy, and oldest son, Hamish, are riding alongside Lewis and his own family, including his teenage sons Dylan and Ethan.

The ultimate goal? To deliver the match ball for this weekend's Gallagher Premiership Final at Twickenham while raising vital funds to accelerate research into effective treatments and an ultimate cure for MND. Thanks to overwhelming public support, the challenge has already raised over £200,000.

The atmosphere on the ground in Rutland today was electric, filled with camaraderie, shared memories, and fierce determination.

If you want to catch the voices, the stories, and the emotion directly from today's stop-off, make sure to set your dials. Keep your ears open for exclusive interviews from the day, broadcasting this evening and tomorrow on Rutland and Stamford Sound.

https://www.rutlandandstamfordsound.co.uk/

To learn more about the route or to make a donation to the cause, visit the official page at lewismoodyxv-cyclechallenge.com.


For more local news, community updates, and what's on in the area, 

Oakham And Rutland What's On Guide

Music Bands Live music 2026 Bandstand Cutts Close Oakham Rutland

Oakham and Rutland  Sports and Fitness Events News

UK Town of Culture Oakham Rutland 2028 Bid

Stay Connected with LGBTQ+ Gay Oakham Rutland News Events Advice and Support

Road Closures Rutland Highways 

Discover Oakham

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Oakham And Rutland News
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