Rutlands Thanksgiving Day

Today was thanks giving for Rutland.

VIP's from across the boarder visited from as far Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire. I can say boarder because the parish priest welcomed them all in that way.

There were some people from Rutland County Council.

No one from Oakham Town Council.

Even though a representative should have been part the procession from the castle.



A church service was held at All Saints Church Oakham,
The sermon seemed to be a Greek and Latin lesson about love and sex.

After the church service the tax payer treated the elite to afternoon tea in the Council Chamber at Rutland County Council.

I was invited into the kitchen and had a chat with the very friendly catering staff.


No photographs please Martin I am a Rutland County Councillor. We don't like you taking our photographs (Cllr V is a very nice man)

Now this is really where freedom of speech is controlled in our county
The lady above is Helen Briggs The paid big boss at Rutland County Council, she is so good, she has saved the county millions of pounds by contracting out nearly every service, so much saving this year we became the most expensive county in the country to live in. Council Tax is the highest in the land.



The lady above is super she is the Mayor of Melton, many Rutland folk look down on Melton folk but if we had a few more people like her in our county life would be so much better for many.
I wonder where Melton Find their Mayors I have not met on horrible one in the last five years, I have lived in the part of England.



Above is Mr, Mrs, Weir they are very nice and important people in Rutland. Mr Weir owns big chunks of Rutland and a lot more. www.jeakinsweir.co.uk


Commander and Station Commander at Royal Air Force Cottesmore









Above a local clergyman introduced as one of the oldest in Rutland



Cllr Robin King and other Rutland County Councillors arrive for tea


Waiting for tea





Above is the good leader of Rutland County Council Roger Begy and his wife

Above is the new friendly police Sergent recently made to move to Oakham




Above is the Chairman of Rutland County Council. Mr Baines



Above The Mayor of Stamford Council
The New High Sherrif of Rutland as smiley and nice as the former High Sherrif Mrs Mills

Rutland Election Posters!

Every shop I popped into today was full of Election Chat.

here in Oakham Rutland

On my way home I spotted this Election Poster.

Oakham Town Council The Standards Committee complaint

Cllr Martin Brookes
13 Willow Crescent
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6EQ


The Standards Committee
Rutland County Council
Catmose
Oakham
Rutland


17th April 2010

Dear Sirs/Madam

After seeking legal advice I wish to clarify my complaints and add additional names and complaints.

All my previous complaints excluding Cllr Jan Fillingham, must be dealt with as requested.

I would like to make a formal complaint against Oakham Town Council excluding Cllr George Swiffin (off Sick) and Cllr Mark Woodcock (who has always been a gentleman)

Cllr Jan Fillingham, (I include Cllr Jan Fillingham in this complaint after the town clerk told me she is mentally fit to carry out council work at home, although she is not able to attend meetings since my election.)
Cllr Sharon Spencer,

Cllr Joyce Lucas,

Cllr Charles Haworth,

Cllr Alf Dewis,

Cllr Maureen Dodds ,

The Town Clerk Richard White,

My complaint is as follows.

Since my election I have been subjected to Homophobic Discrimination, Victimisation, Harassment and Bullying

Nearly all Councillors ignore me. The Town Clerk accuses me of bullying when I ask questions.

The conduct of Oakham Town council has made me consider bringing proceedings under the anti-discrimination act.

The legal definition of this is:

For the purposes of the anti-discrimination legislation,

Harassment is -

-unwanted conduct
-on one or more prohibited grounds which
- has the purpose or effect of
- violating the recipients dignity
-or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient.

Oakham Town Council has shown me unwanted conduct.

(I made it very clear I did not want any further private chats with members.)

Oakham Town Council have harassed on grounds sexual orientation.

So, for example, they are bullying me because I am gay, this constitutes harassment.

Oakham Town Council have told me I should not frequent gay bars or publish photographs I have taken of a drag queen on my blog, because I am bringing the council into disrepute and also my position of councillor.

Oakham Town Councils conduct is harassment, the conduct complained about has the purpose or effect of violating my dignity, they also create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment for me.

It makes no difference whether the conduct was intended to have either of these effects.

The fact that if they intended as a joke, or that no offence was meant, is no excuse.

The meeting held by Councillors Joyce Lucas and Alf Dewis was offensive to me and certainly effected my dignity. My Birthday memories have been destroyed as I was made to feel my conduct was dirty, second class and demeaning.

I trust the Standards Committee will deal with my complaint appropriate.

I also ask the councillors who have caused me to bring this action against the whole of Oakham Town Council to seriously consider their position as councillors.

Especially Cllr Joyce Lucas and Alf Dewis and others who requested they held the meeting.

If I feel you have not dealt with this complaint fairly I will bring proceeding against Oakham Town Council and Rutland County Council under the anti-discrimination legislation.

Your sincerely




Cllr Martin Brookes

Mr Duncan Conservative seeking support in Oakham Rutland

Conservative Mr Duncan

seeking support this morning in Oakham Rutland

Whilst holding my Town Council Surgery Outside

Mr Duncan and Mrs Clifton passed by.

Mr Duncan Chatted to the public and answered some difficult questions,

in my view very well.

No eggs were thrown

There will be a election debate

All Saints Church Oakham

the evening of 27th April 2010

The 3 main candidates will answer questions

to balance my blog

I passed a shop this morning

and photographed another

candidates poster.

There are a number of interesting posters popping up in Oakham

one made me smile

'Make your MP work

Vote for some one else'

Oakham Town Council NW Ward Surgery

North West Ward Surgery.



14 Residents stopped to talk during my time standing outside the council office. I did not in Mr Duncan or Mrs Clifton in this count.



I was a little apprehensive about the publics reaction, towards me.



The public were very kind and some congratulated me for speaking and being so vocal for Oakham Residents.



There are no major issues to report.



A number of the resident expressed the following concern.



Community groups have been forced out of venues throughout the town, because the rents were no to high.



The venues mentioned were Rutland County Council Museum Rooms and Victoria Hall.



Many members of the public stopped to read my posters no spelling mistakes



A member of the public told me Harasses has two r's I added the missing r. then she came back and said mistake only one r.



I explained to members of the public Oakham Town Council has no strategic plan, (aims or goals)



No continuity plan.



Also the Town Council policy just to Spend, Spend.



Most of the public agreed the £30,000 spent on the bandstand was a huge overspend.



Other things were commented on regarding the Town Clerks role and cost, as he has suggested I am bullying him I won't go into detail here.



Cllr Martin Brookes




Saturday 17th April 2010

Oakham Town Council NW Ward Surgery

Last night I fly posted Oakham with posters announcing my surgery I will hold in the street on Saturday.

A practice used by another Councillor it seems to work well.

I was surprised to see the one posted outside the council office was removed.

The whole notice board in Mill Street was removed!

Gay MP Alan Duncan's election posters vandalised

Gay MP Alan Duncan's election posters vandalised
Submitted by NewsSystem on Thu, 04/15/2010 - 05:46 Pink News (UK)
Gay Tory MP Alan Duncan has been targeted by vandals who scrawled homophobic abuse across his election posters. Mr Duncan, who is standing again for election in Rutland, said the abuse was "abysmal behaviour".


I would say it is cowardly behaviour.
Maybe questions should be asked at Oakham Town Council, afterall they are homophobic.

Prism- Leicester LGBT Centre

Have you ever felt that you were treated differently because of your sexuality or your gender identity?

Do you feel that the problems caused by homophobia and transphobia are too often ignored, denied or down-played?

Are you are concerned about your work colleagues’ lack of understanding of the needs of LGBT people?

Perhaps you’re just fed up of organisations assuming that everyone is straight and not taking into account the needs of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and trans people?

Do you have some great ideas for tackling these issues?

Prism is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) forum for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We are a group of people who are working together to improve the lives of LGBT people locally. We want to work with local organisations, the LGBT community and the wider community to raise awareness of the issues faced by LGBT people and to tackle homphobia and transphobia in our area.

Prism meets once a month at Leicester LGBT Centre. Often these meetings have a specific theme and we invite key local organisations to tell us what they're doing to improve the services they offer to LGBT people and to answer our questions about their policies and procedures. We also work with local organisations to advise them when they are developing or revising their policies, to ensure that they consider the needs of the LGBT community.

Prism meetings are held at the LGBT Centre, 15 Wellington Street, Leicester. All are welcome to attend. Please email us for more information or contact the LGBT Centre on 0116 2547412. The LGBT Centre can also try to help if you would like to attend the meeting but have problems with transport.


http://www.llgbc.com/category.php?id=5

Helen Pender Ind. candidate (Nun of the above)

Helen Pender Ind. candidate (Nun of the above)

Helen Pender Independent Candidate
Oakham Town Council Election Thursday 20th May 2010

I fully support the above person and hope people will vote for Helen.

Helen will blogging during here campaign. It will certaainly be interesting and have a lot less spelling mistakes than mine.



http://helenpender.blogspot.com/

Thursday, 15 April 2010
Nun of the above

Have agreed to stand for Oakham Town Council - North East Ward - as an independent candidate. It is important that we have proper elections and bring democracy and public service back into local politics. I am a supporter of Martin Brookes and truly believe that the local parish Council should be about service to the community.

Lately some very silly behaviour has been tolerated at local parish council meetings and I have been pressured to stand. I have decided to accept the nomination primarily because I think democracy demands we have elections, not co-options of mates.

I would like to campaign for better public transport services locally. It is ridiculous that we do not have any buses out of, or into, Oakham on a Sunday and that trains only run after 12.45 pm. There are no buses after 5.40 pm from Peterborough on any day of the week either. This prevents local people, without their own transport, seeking work outside the County. If elected I will undertake to make strenuous representations on behalf of the less well off, who cannot afford their own transport, to be better served and have more employment opportunities.

I will campaign for more openess and disclosure of information to local people. The concept of accountability seems to have bypassed the Town Council. It is reprehensible that so much of the correspondence to local Councillors is marked 'Private and Confidential.'

I am concerned that restoration of the bandstand is likely to cost over £30,000. If a proper restoration job were being undertaken we would be using collyweston tiles, not cedarwood tiles which will probably rot within a relatively short space of time. I also notice that the wooden boards, protecting the bandstand site, have cost thousands of pounds and will be taken down at the end of work. Could we not have used secure and relatively cheaper wire security fencing, rather than paying outright for boarding which will be taken away at the end of the work and presumably recycled by the builders with no financial benefit accruing to local tax payers.

I will also campaign to remove the 'designated area' that the Town Council have voted to enforce on the whole of Oakham.

It was bad enough that local Councillors, some of whom have now resigned, felt able to boast of making Cutts Close a 'designated area' - yet felt no sense of hypocrisy when taking wine bottles to Cutts Close to listen to the Band during festival week. Laws, when they are brought into force, should apply to everyone equally. There does appear to have been a 'them' and 'us' mentality locally. It is about time locally elected representatives understood that they are there to represent and serve their electors and not selfishly exploit their personal positions.

I stood at the last General Election as an Independent candidate and many people suggested that I stand under the tag 'None of the above.' Rather tongue in cheek, since I lead a rather modest life and attend church regularly, I have decided instead to stand as 'Nun of the above.'

You can contact me on: penderh@yahoo.co.uk

Fire in Green House Burley Road Oakham

Around 6.00 pm

The Fire Service was called to Burley Road after a fire in a green house.

A fireman fit a free smoke alarm next door.

I am surprised some people don't have smoke alarms.

Parking on Oakham Graves

The Grave stone is further damaged people keep parking

on the graves at All Saints Church Oakham

Blogging whilst a Oakham Town Councillor

Oakham Town Council and Former Councillors would prefer I did not use this blog.

The blog started before I became a Councillor.

Standards for England support the use of such media and encourage councillor to get online.

This blog is my private blog and I do not blog in my official capacity as a councillor. The Blog title should be clear enough.

I do not Disrespect people, I treat others in the same way they treat me.

I do not Bully, as others bullied me.

I do not Disclose anything of a confidential manner.

I do not bring the council into disrepute, I let the other homophobic bigots do that.

I do not Misuse authority resources.

Oakham Town Councillors Edited Birthday

The following post has been edited not to comply with any Homophobic bigots at Oakham Town Council or any Former Councillor or there friends.

Some of my friends at my birthday party were included in photographs and feel they have been subjected to local harassment due to their inclusion and have asked me to remove photographs.

It is very sad people in Rutland think it is unacceptable for a Councillor and his friends, to frequent two very respectable gay bars in Leicester. Both owned by a decent Rutlander.

The Rainbow Dove and the Dover Castle.

One day Rutland will catch up with time!

I am pleased to see we now enter a female into the pageant of Miss England, Miss Rutland resides in Oakham.

The organisers are very pleased Oakham is to be associated with this controversial pageant.

They hope it will put Oakham on the map.

I am looking forward to seeing Mr Gay Rutland in the distant future.

Oakham Town Council Complaints

part of email received 48hrs before meeting! I can't attend

The Review Sub-Committee will consider your request for a review of the decision of the Assessment Sub-Committee that no action be taken in respect of your complaint against Councillor Fillingham.


I have withdrawn all complaints about her so her mob can now leave me alone.



The Assessment Sub-Committee will consider your two complaints against former Councillor Harrison, your complaint against Councillor Spencer and your complaints made this week against Councillors Lucas and Dewis.



However, the Sub-Committee will also be looking at separate complaints made against you by Mr Harrison, Councillor Haworth, Mr Beech and Mr Kelly.


I wonder what the complaints are. Would have been good to be told.

Election Videos Rutland

Royce Rec Oakham New Play Equipment Broken

New play equipment breaks.

Local residents say safety chain broke first day

after repeated over use the chain supporting seat broke

They also say two children were hit by the broken chain

Letter from Oakham Resident to an Oakham Town Councillor

Joyce, whilst Martin and I are not bosom buddies and don't always agree on everything, I do feel very sympathetic towards him for all the abuse he has suffered. However I understand that many have suggested to Martin that he cuts all communication with me and he has had the strength of character to ignore that advice.



If Councillors want to tell Martin what he can and can't blog they will find they are making the situation infinitely worse. He feels that his lifestyle had been unnecessarily condemned and, although I believe you were merely the chosen messenger, it was perhaps unwise to tell him that it was inappropriate to put his birthday celebration on his blog.



Free speech and democracy appear to have bypassed Oakham and it is time that we all embraced the modern world. To paraphrase Oliver Cromwell: The Town Council have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately.



My own view is that you do work hard and effectively and for that I admire you.



But this rump of a Town Council have lost touch with reality and frankly they do little if any real good. The behaviour of Mr Beech, pointedly trying to embarass Martin at every Council meeting, should not be tolerated. The ex-Mayor, Paul Beech, is insidiously, tendentiously and unnecessarily insulting and it is clear that many of his comments are directed toward Martin. It is also perplexing that Mr Beech's outbursts are so frequently heard without comment or condemnation in Council meetings. The three ex-Councillors and their friends were twittering or texting throughout the last Council meeting and handing one another scraps of paper, presumably notes and making comments. They then left in such a fashion that they were clearly wanting to be seen to be making a fuss. Why is this behaviour acceptable? I do wonder what sort of hold Mr Beech and his entourage of six have over current, more reasonable Councillors. After all the three Councillors who resigned did so because they could not work with Martin, yet all three turned up to the Council meeting to make his life difficult.



The fact that Martin is being prevented from holding a surgery inside Victoria Hall should make all Town Councillors hang their heads in shame.



I do hope you and Martin can develop a good and productive working relationship in the future, after all your heart does lead you to serve Oakham well and effectively and the miles you walk in serving Oakham are invaluable.

Oakham Town Council

Last night I attended a meeting of Rutland County Council.

Councillor Alf Dewis from Oakham Town Council also attended, He did not speak to me. I could tell you who's ears he whispered into at the beginning and end of the meeting but this could be seen as a invasion of his private life.

At the meeting Mr Begy had forgotten to button his shirt, they really must give the Leader a P.A. It was most off putting each time he stood to speak. I can report there was no fluff

Mr Begy told all members the good news relating to the housing at RAF Cottesmore.

Councillor Lovell a good friend of Oakham Town Council and past members is also The County Councillor for the ward I serve as a Oakham Town Councillor. Who also does not speak to me because I don't live in his ward. He asked if Rutland County Council had dropped or changed its dress code a direct attack of a fellow member of his ward Councillor Richard J Gale. At this point I felt as if I was sitting in at a Oakham Town Council meeting. Untill Mr Begy took control and asked Councillor Lovell to bring this matter up in the car park after meeting.

Most shocking was the Cottessmore Councillor Susie Iannantuoni a very well presented lady who won last years by by-election.

She stood and explained, she was told it may take a year for to get the courage to stand and speak at a meeting. She then announced it was a year today, The build up to her speach led me to believe we would her a superb first speach, but no she only congratulated the PR department of RAF Cottesmore, wich ended in her informing members The RAF would be attending the village bonfire night in November. Surely there are more burning issues for the residents of Cottesmore with the proposed closure of RAF Cottesmore. If she was my Councillor I would not be very impressed. I hope now she has stood once she will now stand more often and speak about her constituents issues especially as the base closure looms, that will affect residents and business alike.

After the meeting I attend the Admiral Horn Blower. I don't often visit local bars but as Oakham Town Council say my last visit to a gay bar in Leicester was inappropriate, I thought I would give it a try. I am pleased I did. I met some local people, amongst them were two local men who have companies in Corby. They both chatted about the election and this led onto local councils and at this point I mentioned I was a town Councillor. The penny dropped for them and the realised who I was. I was at this point a little concerned. Although this concern was not needed, as all present congratulated me for what I had done, they had read the paper. I said I had done nothing, the members just resigned. They said that was enough.

One of the Gentleman owns a local building firm asked why are the town council wasting so much money on the bandstand, he said the work is over priced work and the talk of many local builders.

Another confirmed my concerns about our chairman, he had often before her illness found her drunk in her drive after falling out of her car and assisted her to her home. so I am not the only one who has observed her drink driving. It appear this is common knowledge amongst the public and to think I am accused by the Town Clerk of making up lies.

I was also told Cllr Joyce Lucas husband is a mason and to expect trouble from him or others.

Going back to the Standards complaint made against Cllr Lucas and Cllr Dewis for their homophobic and discriminatory behaviour , I am told it its not correct for me to discuss these matters until the complaint has been dealt with, So I question why Rutland County Councillor Chris A Parsons was discussing my complaints before the meeting with other members

Happy New Year Mong Tseng Wai

Video created and edited by my friends at the Camera Cafe, Museum Street, London

http://www.cameracafe.co.uk/

Happy Chinese New Year

Cottesmore Protest Oakham Town Council

Over the weekend the BBC Broadcast, Oakham Town Council refused to allow the Cottesmore protesters to march on its land.



I was not aware they wanted to march on Council Land.



From The broadcasts I have listened to on the BBC iplayer no reason was given.



This in my view a unfair broadcast.



It would have been better for the Council if the had just given the reason publicly.



As we all know the Town Clerk told us the insurrers would not cover the event in Cutts Close. Then the many thousands of supporters mentioned in the news item would have a better understanding.



Next time could all Councillors be consulted before any press release is given or not given.





From



Cllr Martin Brookes

Oakham Town Councillor Question

Dear Members,

A member of the public has asked me the following question and others I could not answer the question.

At the next meeting I would like to ask these questions?

What is Oakham Town Councils Strategic Plan?

Is this Private and Confidential?

Or is it because I am gay? you do not share this with me?

I have looked at our web site I can't find one.

It appears Rutland County Council has one.

From

Cllr Martin Brookes

Homophobic Oakham Town Council

Its very sad when I recieve emails like this one this morning.

I have removed anything from the content that would ID the person writing to me. This person is not the only person who writes to me. there are a lot of Gay men in Oakham who are scared of the Homophobic attitude of some Oakham residents and clearly as in my case members of Oakham Town Council. It is very upsetting and sad I can't publish photographs of myself and friends just as many other millions of users do everyday on the internet!

He says:

had this email twice tonight from
PLEASE PLEASE remove mine ######## pictures from your blog. We both don't want to get targeted for malicious abuse.It's started already.
I don't mind you having our pictures on your Facebook as i assume that you had set your privacy settings on Facebook to friends only, but your blog is open to the wide world and i have to work in this town. I work people who are conected with the people in town that hate you.

As you already have found out, Oakham is a very clicky and homophobic place, and lots of people talk and are related to each other. Its not because i'm hiding in the closet, as you know all my family know about me, but i dont see the need to have to tell everybody about my private life.

I commend you for standing up to the councillors and fighting them all the way.
I''m asking you nicely to remove them, i'm not falling out with you or anything as i like you as a friend, but i'm not interested in town politics and dont want to be dragged into all this by having my picture in your blog, hope you understand.

Oakham Council Town Clerk Decides all Council matters are now Private and Confidential

The Town Clerk of Oakham Town Council has now decided all council matters are now Private and Confidential.

It surprises me other members accept this.

Oakham town Council is a public body that is meant to serve the public.

It is open to public scrutiny.

Letter sent to members:


Subject: Private and Confidential.

I received a letter from The Town Clerk marked private and confidential.

The Town Clerk told me he would be sending out all correspondence in future marked in this way, because of my blog, although I have never published and confidential matter in the past. This is another example of how Oakham Town Council thinks its a exclusive members club.

Can I remind Oakham Town Council members, we serve the public and the town council is not a private organisation.

Yes there are times when it is appropriate to mark items private and confidential, when the matter is a employment issue or if relating to contracts and it is considered commercially sensitive.

As we all know when the press and public were kicked out of the meeting to discuss the bandstand the Clerk then informed us but not the press and public they could apply for the information under the freedom of information act.

Private and Confidential should not be used as in this case to cover up a loss of £15,000 of public money, because the town clerk did not check contracts correctly.

I am copying this communication to Rutland County Council legal services for their advice.

I believe it is not correct for the town clerk to mark all council business private and confidential.

If he does this how can councillor consult and carry out their duties and serve the public?

From

Cllr Martin Brookes

My Garden This Spring Oakham

Picture Framing Closed Mill Street

Oakham Town Council Questions

Could Cllr Joyce Lucas please answer the following question at the next council meeting.

Councillors Questions.

Can Councillor Lucas please name the Councillor she is referring to when she told myself and a member of the public on Wednesday 7th April 2010.

The following. One Councillor drinks and drives and she rushes to the Wheat Sheaf public house after every meeting and drinks herself stupid and then gets into her own car and drives home.

As councillor Joyce Lucas sits and represents Oakham Town Council on various police committees does she not feel she has a duty to report this member who is endangering peoples lives?

Does the code of conduct not apply to Cllr Joyce Lucas? All members must uphold the law.

If this story she told the member of the public in my presence is made up by Cllr Joyce Lucas will she resign for bringing the council into disrepute?

The member of public is as far as I know willing to provide a witness statement.

From

Cllr Martin Brookes




Could Cllr Joyce Lucas answer the following questions at the next council meeting.

Members Questions.

1. Can Cllr Lucas explain why the tax payers are expected to pay for advertising private events held in your garden?

I refer to Easter Sunday when you purchased cable ties from Grafters of Oakham and charged them to Oakham Town Council Petty Cash.

2. Why did you also use Oakham Town Council's printing and laminating equipment to produce posters to fly post the town?

You said the assistant clerk approved this.

3. Is this not a abuse of tax payers money?


Final questions to both Cllr Joyce Lucas and Cllr Alf Dewis

1. Can you show me evidence that clearly state you can both interfere in my private life in a discriminatory and homophobic manner?

2. Can you tell me why you both think you have a right to interfere in my private life in a discriminatory and homophobic manner ?



From Cllr Martin Brookes

Open Letter to Oakham Town Council

Dear Oakham Town Council. Councillors

Questions for next meeting.

1. Please can you explain how the chairman of Oakham Town Council can discuss the new rent? when unfit and unable to attend any meetings at the council, As a trustee of the landlords is this also not a conflict of interest?

2. Has Cllr Jan Fillingham attended the legally required number of meetings this year to continue to act as councillor and chairman from her home?

3. Has Cllr George Swiffin attended the legally required number of meetings this year to continue to act as councillor.

4. In the draft minutes of the meeting of Oakham Town Council held on Wednesday April 7th 2010 Why is it stated, In the absence of the Chairman, it was unanimously agreed that the Vice Chairman, Cllr Sharon Spencer chair the meeting? I was not asked, so it is not unanimous.

5. It is normal for the chair to walk into the room state its 7 pm and move straight to the apologies. then for some every bizarre reason we asked to vote on. Why this a not the position of chair?

End of questions

I now move onto the conduct of the public at meetings this includes a majority of former members of this council. Their conduct is unacceptable. Leaving during the meeting causing such a disturbance to the council meeting is unacceptable.

Being threatened during a meeting by a member of the public is totally unacceptable.

I refer to former councillor Mr Kelly.

Mr Kelly entered the room stood in front of me and stared at me, his manner appeared very angry,

I made to response.

Mr Kelly sat staring at me during the meeting.

After I looked at Mr Alan Kelly 3 times he made a verbal threat.

At this point Councillor Joyce Lucas asked me from across the room to look at her.

It is at this point I feel strongly the chairman should have asked former councillor Alan Kelly to leave the meeting.

As Oakham Town Council is not willing to protect its members, I will have to do this myself.

If Mr Kelly is present at any future meetings, I will be calling the police and will ask them to remove him.

Residents Request

Mr Patrick a resident in my ward, has asked me to raise a petition to abolish Oakham Town Council.

I do not personally think a petition works.

I would like to advise him correctly.

It is my understanding voters can call for a vote and a required number of electors is required to call for the election.

This was carried out in the Portsmouth area earlier this year.

Please can you advise me of the correct procedure.

Due to recent events, I am fully supporting Mr Patrick's request.

I personally see Oakham Town Council as a exclusive members club that is costing the tax payer far to much money.

Our own audit report states we need to serve the public better.

It is my view the council does not serve the public.

We have one Councillor who holds surgeries in her own home this is to be commended, when the Town Clerk tells me it is not normal for Oakham Town Councillor to meet the public they are meant to serve, in this way.

I have arranged my own surgery it will be held on Saturday 17th April in the street outside Victoria Hall, due to the Town Clerks health and safety concerns. At 10 am - 1 pm

From Cllr Martin Brookes