Chairman of Oakham Town Council nearly smashes wooden hammer during argument

 Cllr Dewis (left) Cllr Lucas (middle) Cllr Brookes (right)

Chairman of Oakham Town Council nearly smashes wooden hammer during argument

At tonight's extra Oakham Town Council meeting to co-opt members, I decided not to ask candidates questions.

I had not excluded myself from any other part of the co-option process.

Cllr Alf Dewis had decided I had done so, when I attempted to contribute with a answer to a candidates question the Chairman Cllr Lucas told me to "shut up" more than once. Cllr Alf Dewis chipped in and said I had excluded myself from the selection process. I was annoyed and after the Candidate had gone from the room a full blown argument erupted between myself and the Chairman Cllr Lucas and Cllr Dewis. which ended with the Chairman bashing away with her hammer and threatening to kick us both out of the meeting.

During this part of the adjourned meeting Councillors made a proposal to co-opt a candidate. It took some time before they realised they could not make proposals during an adjournment especially one that excludes my input!

Oakham Town Council has no plan

Oakham Town Council has no plan.

A candidate for Co-option asked the following question, What Plans does the Council have for the future.

The Answer given was not very inspiring.

"We don't have any plans at the moment"

This confirms my complaint that Oakham Town Council has no real purpose and the tax payer contributes to this expensive authority, So we can spend as we please on things like a new chain for the Mayor.

At the same meeting the Mayor looked and me and blamed me for the lack of interest from the public wanting to become Councillors.

I would not use Cllr Lowes words to describe the Council, he recently it was a load of Bollocks  but I am sure this a contributor to the lack of interest from the public.

A council with no plan or vision for the future is not a good council

Oakham Town Council Co-option charade

Oakham Town Council Co-option Charade

Oakham Town Council members put three members of the public through a charade of an interview this evening.

They went onto to co-opt the three new Councillors. There was one serious flaw in the process the Chairman Cllr Lucas forgot to ask the candidates if they wanted to be co-opted onto the Council after their interviews.

So far it appears that two of the candidates have agreed to accept the co-option, whilst another is not sure, I have spoken to them and they told me this evening they thought they were only attending a informal chat to get to know the Councillors before they decided what to go ahead and ask to be co-opted?

I am not sure what they legal process is to reverse the decision to co-opt, I wonder if they have to resign?

Councillor J Woodcock, Oakham Town Council, Co-option

Councillor J Woodcock, Oakham Town Council, Co-option

This evening Mrs Woodcock was co-opted at a meeting of Oakham Town Council

Mrs Woodcock is known as the wife of Cllr Mark Woodcock who is now a real councillor up the road at
Rutland County Council.

Mrs Woodcock is well known at Oakham Town Council as she supported Cllr Mark Woodcock during the time he was a Town Councillor and was his consort when he was Mayor of Oakham.