Oakham Town Council Budget 2017 - 2018 Mayors Instructions

The Mayor Cllr Adam Lowe has decided to issue advice to Councillors after he rushed
the budget discussion due to meeting due to have with his wife was more important than
the budget that effect the residents of Oakham.

We consider a budget which has been "guessed" which does not take into consideration
the large unexplained reserves the council holds.

Even though our costs are reducing we are being asked to demand an extra 7.55% from
tax payers.

A parish council can only demand what it needs, guessing those needs is not acceptable.




Dear Adam

Thank you Adam once again you contradict yourslef or should I say the council.

You state just because we agree something should be budgetted for then that is not giving it spending
approval. How odd every time I have said this example late nigh shopping £2000 and other expenditure in
the past I was told many times I was wrong, many times I was told by you, Alf Dewis and Richard White
I was wrong and was told if the council agrees to budget for something then we have agreed to pay it.
So bearing in mind as you have added £1000 to the budget for late night shopping for the town partnership
you will produce a report for council so we can decide if we are going to pay them.

Your email proves the council in the past has acted unlawfully.

The demand that we all obtain reports in time for the next meeting should have been given to us
many months before.

We have never been asked to provide reports like this in the past.

Although I don't disagree with the need for reports I am finding the timing difficult as many people are shutting
down for Christmas are wont be able to produce reports during their holiday time.

I have not been able to contact the CA and to be honest as you are the rep it is should be your job but with
your permission I am happy to carry on with that project.

I have spoken to a RCC cllr today in between your offensive text messages and made them aware of
the situation and how important it is they help me with a report for the youth worker funding.

Perhaps we can also have a more detailed report from the clerk and Michael about the many figures that
were just "guessed" and the "slush fund"

Also more seriously as I was unable to ask in the five seconds you gave me at the end of the meeting
can they explain why we are not using any of the reserves with have magically appeared?

We can not keep demanding from the overstretched tax payers for no good reason.
and just because the government might cap us in years to come is not a lawful reason.

A resident, Mr Richardson has informed me he and other residents will be seeking a judicial review
of our budget if the proposed budget is approved by the council.

I am told the video evidence will support their action against the council.

The law states the clerk is not permitted to be involved in the setting of the budget and from
his comments like "we guessed some of the figures" shows he was involved, the budget is a job
for all cllrs and members of the public.

The description Michael Haley gave when describing the reserves running into £100,000s was not good. We currently hold one earmarked
reserve that being the £65,000 from Hawksmead the rest is unlawful so I am told.

We should be setting a zero precept based on the reserves we have and not asking for more.

The cemetery demand is totally unacceptable.



From

Martin

Cllr Martin Brookes
13 Willow Crescent
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6EQ

Tel: 07508060962


Sent: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 3:08 PM
From: "Adam Lowe"
To: "Joyce Lucas" , "Stan Stubbs" , MJHaley , "Peter Ind" , "Vince Howard" , "Sally Anne Wadsworth" , "Martin Brookes" , "Richard Haynes"
Subject: Council Business


Dear ALL

When we meet in January the meeting will have one main theme, the BUDGET.

Strategic plans need to be produced to support the requests for spending.

The more detail and evidence will help justify the BUDGET request.

I do not see us agreeing to the work to be signed as in an agenda item in January

Once the BUDGET is agreed the owners of the request will then still need to bring the strategic plan with an agenda item to get agreement to SPEND the agreed BUDGET.

We do not always spend the whole allocated budget.

This gives you time to research a bit and maybe get extra quotes, so for example:

If I produce one quote for paths and then evidence with pictures the state of the path and where  and why it needs repairing this would help me show to the rest of the Council where and why it should spend money, if the BUDGET request is accepted then that figure is basically earmarked.

Then when I produce my agenda item I would have a budget to aim for with a strategic document to help justify the reason to spend that earmarked budget, don't forget this is calculating what we will be spending in the next financial year.

So the Devil is in the detail, also be prepared to be challenged on what you want the BUDEGT for.

Even if you get a budget allocated, the agenda item may still fail to get signed off.

Hopefully this helps.

Regards

Adam Lowe



Dear Adam

Please can you tell me where in our standing orders it says a Cllr can not present a verbal report at a Council
meeting.

The way in which the Council has handled the budget this year is an absolute farce.

I am shocked and astounded to learn that most of the budget according to the clerk is guessed and that
everything has been left to the last minute.

Cllr Michael Haley has been on the finance working group since the beginning of the year and he seemed
to publicly point the finger of blame in the direction of former Cllr Michael Elliot during Wednesdays meeting
this is unacceptable Cllr Michael is fully aware of many requests for the required reports and should have made the ex Cllr
aware of the requirement for regular reports and information.
Ex Cllr Michael Elliot was not a member of the council when Cllr Michael Haley was still on the working group
with ex Cllr Jasmine Hopkins at this time he should have reported to council stating the requirements for the budget
we should not be receiving them from you now in split emails.

From

Martin

Cllr Martin Brookes
13 Willow Crescent
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6EQ

Tel: 07508060962


Sent: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 4:23 PM
From: "Adam Lowe"
To: MJHaley , "Joyce Lucas" , "Stan Stubbs" , "Peter Ind" , "Vince Howard" , "Sally Anne Wadsworth" , "Martin Brookes" , "Richard Haynes"
Subject: Council Business - further
To answer a question or give further guidance and make things a easy as possible;

Members would submit an updated action plan if the works applies to a Working Group, the NP action plan is a good example of this, with a detailed paper.

If it is not related to a working group then a detailed paper is a must.

Be prepared basically, verbal reports and requests will fail.




Regards

Adam Lowe

Oakham Jobs 15th December 2016

Oakham Jobs 15th December 2016

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Cllr Vince Howard Presents Cheque to Oakham Town Council proceeds from summer ball for extra Christmas Lights

Cllr Vince Howard Presents Cheque to Oakham Town Council proceeds from summer ball for extra Christmas Lights


The other week after speaking to a trader based in Mill Street I asked the council in a email
where are the Christmas lights we own for Mill Street.

Mill Street has had no lights for two years now despite the council spending hundred if not thousands
on new lights one year and then disposing of them and purchasing new ones from Lite Ltd.

For some unknown reason the council decided not to put to provide Mill Street with any lights
This prompted Cllr Vince Howard to organise a ball for extra Christmas lights. I asked in my email
sent to all Councillors why the additional lights had not appeared had the ball not made a profit.

The Chairman Adam Lowe responded by saying In had probably caused Cllr Howard embarrassment
Cllr Howard failed to comment. We found out last night the event did make money and it was shared between the council and a local charity. The total was nearly £600 So I don't think Cllr Howard has
anything to be embarrassed about. Although I do question the delay in presenting the cheque and
the failure of the council to provide any extra Christmas light this year.

Cllr Vince Howard asked the Council to consider purchasing some lights for the Burley Road
Junction.

The council did purchase a new light screen for the lamp post at that location Lite Ltd
put it up and never switched it on, it has since vanished.

I guess the next to go will be near Nelson's butchers as that is not switched on this year.

The acting clerk took the cheque and jokingly attempted to place the cheque in a shirt pocket for himself, the shirt he was wearing did not have pocket. I hope we do use the money to purchase a new
light next year and the money won't go into the acting Clerks "slush fund" as he described a budget heading of £2000 other expenditure when a Cllr asked what that was.

Oakham Town Council Budget 2017 - 2018 Why does Cllr Joyce Lucas remain a Councillor?

Oakham Town Council Budget 2017 - 2018 Why does Cllr Joyce Lucas remain a Councillor?

Cllr Joyce Lucas




For a long time now at Oakham Town Council, we have had to put up with the childish
conduct of Cllr Joyce Lucas. She would often at working groups and at exempt items
throw her rattle out of her pram and say "I am not doing anymore" because she has done
her bit. Now she says is doing the same very publicly at recorded meetings.

We still have no hearing loop because she complained it was something she was working
on. (for the last 5 years + ?)

At last nights meeting we rushed through considering the draft budget, because the chairman
Cllr Adam Lowe had a meeting with his wife planned, he told us she was more important than
the business of Oakham Town Council. I don't object to him finding his wife important, what
I object to is the lack of commitment to council business and never mind the money we
are asking the already stretched tax payers to pay. I have read many comments on social media
regarding the difficulties local families are finding paying Rutland County Councils tax demands
the highest in the country which includes a demand from Oakham Town Council.


One resident writes:

Trouble is Kate, it sounds as if there only capped on the social care part, so that means they can still inflict us with increases for other spending" and knowing Rutland council, they won't want to miss any opportunity to screw us the public for more money. I honestly don't know how these members of the council actually manage to sleep at night knowing the pain and stress they are putting people through. 😒

Another writes:

Think the words don't give a shit come to mind


After taking part in last nights meeting at Oakham Town Council and the chairman giving me five
seconds to express my concerns that residents have expressed to me about Oakham Town Councils
proposed 7.55% increase. People including the chairman spoke over me at the end of the meeting
packed away their papers etc. a common trait of some members throughout the meeting, showing a total lack of manners. I can truly say some members of Oakham Town Council don't give a shit as suggested by a member of the public. Cllr Stan Stubbs even said he had given up the will to
live as I attempted comment whilst being rudely interrupted. At one point I had to point out
how distracting it was to being trying to conduct council business whilst Cllrs Stan, Vince and Richard were laughing appearing to be sharing some sort of private joke.

I wish more people would watch the recording of meeting and see for themselves how unprofessional the council is. The monitoring officer does and publicly states the council is not working only for Oakham Town Council to ignore her comments,

Going back to the reason I ask the question why does Cllr Lucas remain a Councillor?

Part of the budget showed a large cut in the tree budget. Although we have trees falling down in
Cutts Close and an expensive tree survey lost. I pointed this out. Cllr Lucas decided at the meeting
the figure needed to be increased to £13,000, I am no expert when it comes to a tree budget but I do suspect this is rather too high. Cllr Lucas also complained she had been asking for an agenda item
for over six months. when I pointed out she was the Councils Tree Warden she said "I am not doing it I  have done my bit" this is one of the reasons the council is not working. If Cllr Lucaas is stating
publicly she has done her bit, why does she remain a Cllr? She should make way for a some one
who does want to do something.

The other is the failure of the office to follow instructions from Council some months ago we asked
the office to start the tendering process for a number of contracts that are now overdue due, nothing has been done and we were told work will start on that in January 2017. In the meantime we are asked to consider a draft budget based on figures "guessed".

I would not say I am perfect Councillor or have all the answers but I am concerned by what looks
like a lot of neglect, the tree issue is something that I raised five weeks ago. I wonder if some one
has to be hurt in one of our parks or on the nearby road before the council starts taking its role seriously?

At the same meeting after a long battle we considered the internal audit report and the acting clerk
read out dealt with the comments made in red. One of those comments was the lack of risk assessment reports and health and safety.  Cllr Michael Haley carefully made some helpful comments
pointing out the internal auditors comments were only recommendations and the council did not have to action an of those recommendations. I am sure he is mistaken in a few cases. I am not
sure any insurance company is going to be to pleased with the council if it ignored Health and Safety Legislation? Of course this is Oakham Town Council and I have never forgotten one of the first comments made to me when I first became a Cllr, "we are like a football club" "UK law does not apply to us" "if you don't like it get out" Fortunately that person is no longer at the council.

Cllr Joyce Lucas

Does not like the children who play in the park they don't like
her, she does not like dogs or balloons.

Last week she celebrated a birthday I sent her greetings and
she emailed me telling me she did not require Birthday greetings
from the likes of me.

 

Happy Christmas To All My Followers of my blog, twitter and facebook, wish you all a happy 2017

Happy Christmas To All My Followers of my blog, twitter and facebook, wish you all a happy 2017