Harrods and Burberry Christmas Tree
Georgian Restaurant
Friday, December 16, 2016
Fortnum and Mason 181 Piccadilly St James's London W1A 1ER Christmas Windows and Store 2016
Fortnum and Mason 181 Piccadilly St James's London W1A 1ER Christmas Windows and Store 2016
Burlington Arcade and Piccadilly Arcade Christmas London 2016
Burlington Arcade and Piccadilly Arcade Christmas London 2016
Covent Garden London Christmas 2016
Covent Garden London Christmas 2016
The Moomin Shop
This character is horrible and knits.
Paul Smith Rabbits
Harrods Afternoon Tea Trifle
Harrods Afternoon Tea Trifle
Yesterday afternoon I was treated to afternoon tea at the Georgian Restaurant at Harrods.
I treated an old friend so it was quite an outing and something to look forward to.
Unfortunately the standard of service was not as expected.
a unfriendly waiter and no scones for over 30 minutes
I also learnt it is posh to eat desert from a jar as we were ready to leave
the waiter remembered we had not been given our prepacked Chocolate
Trifle shown above.
We asked another waiter if we could take them home.
In general Harrods afternoon tea is not something I would recommend.
I would recommend Stapleford Park in Leicestershire its better value and
the staff are very attentive.
Yesterday afternoon I was treated to afternoon tea at the Georgian Restaurant at Harrods.
I treated an old friend so it was quite an outing and something to look forward to.
Unfortunately the standard of service was not as expected.
a unfriendly waiter and no scones for over 30 minutes
I also learnt it is posh to eat desert from a jar as we were ready to leave
the waiter remembered we had not been given our prepacked Chocolate
Trifle shown above.
We asked another waiter if we could take them home.
In general Harrods afternoon tea is not something I would recommend.
I would recommend Stapleford Park in Leicestershire its better value and
the staff are very attentive.
Oakham Town Council Conduct Rutland County Council Monitoring Officer
Oakham Town Council Conduct Rutland County Council Monitoring Officer
Dear Mrs Mogg,
Thank you for inviting me to the meeting this morning.
I am astonished that Rutland County Council is commissioning another
investigation after the previous pointless investigation which cost the
Rutland tax payers over £10,000.
I say pointless because it told me and many others what is already known.
The Town Council is failing and continues to fail to provide any real purpose
for the residents of Oakham.
I have decided once again I do not want public money wasted and will not
participate in the pointless investigation.
The previous report has largely been ignored by Oakham Town Council
and as the old guard is hell bent on excluding me they were happy to
exclude me from any council activities setting no time limited this is not
helpful,
I am happy to give the following comments to the investigator.
Regarding the first complaint from Allison Greaves the Assistant Clerk
When Allison Greaves sent the Mayor an email which included a comment
about me, The Mayor Cllr Adam Lowe shared that email aware of me.
I told Allison. When I visited the office I was recording I had made members
of the council and staff at the time I did this. During that visit Allison said she
was sorry and read out a email she was just sending me. In that email she basically
said the council was crap and we were all responsible for that.
I went home and published the video. Allison objected and I was accused of
bullying.
Since then your report has stated Allison Greaves feel threatened by my actions
I find it hard how anyone can say they feel threatened by me publishing a video
of them saying sorry for there poor conduct towards me and saying their employer
was basically crap.
Allison Greaves has told me that the video makes her feel and look stupid that
I would suggest is a more honest thing to say and if she feels that way that is not my
fault.
The Second complaints
I do not want to comment on all this.
I will remind you and the investigator that anything I have published regarding
the ex Clerk and the former fitness centre is done with the protection afforded to
be by the whistle blowers act and the public interest act.
The Clerk broke local government acts and failed to complete many
of his contractually obligations and was paid £18,000 to go quietly at his
request. The tax payer also paid his legal fees something he or his union
should have paid not the tax payer.
The old fitness centre. At times it is very unclear what is confidential and
not. only this week the incompetent Cllr Michael Haley gave out confidential
figures in a meeting. I had not published the figures because even up to this
week he said they were confidential. I believe it is in the public interest that
the council has let a public asset with no agreement signed and is only currently
receiving £100 a month on a commercial property valued at around £15,000 a year.
It is also in the public interest that the property is being leased for 99 years
for no charge for the lease. I wish I could have obtained my lease for nothing
and only paid the ground rent.
You do not need to ask an investigator to find out if I have been kicked out of a meeting
since August. You could ask the Clerk and the answer would be know.
The last tine I was kicked out was when Cllr Lowe lost the plot and assaulted me
and damaged my personal property.
The police took no action.
He went on to lie by sending me unpleasant emails which you have seen, he
says I damaged his clothes and caused him ABH
Regarding Complaint Three
This is the first time I have seen this complaint and I have asked the Mayor
Cllr Adam Lowe to retract it.
I was not carrying a knife as stated in the report I know that would be
a serious offence.
He lies when he says I damaged the notice board. I caused no damage
to any property.
Please can you explain how opening a public notice board and photographing
a public document which the council had refused to give me is being disrespectful?
After our meeting I telephone Cllr Adam Lowe and due to a poor signal the call
dropped out I was unable to make a new call, so I waited a while and at 13.00
I sent Cllr Adam Lowe a text message:
Are you going to retract your lies about the knife and damage.
Cllr Lowe failed to reply so I sent this text message:
No answer so I guess you are not and you will be happy with the
subsequent publicity?
Cllr Lowe then replied in a very unacceptable manner:
Not sure what u r on about, however, I believe I stated it appeared
to be a knife or pliers, regardless you have already confirmed it was
pliers which confirms you now go equipped to commit an offence
but u r use to breaking the law. As regards ur normal threats well
bullies never change do they and lastly I am not changing anything
because you always lie and make up your own warped stories to
fulfill your own goals. U clearly need medical help.
I responded:
Piss Off Adam and thank you I will be providing your
text message response as evidence that you are the investigator
Cllr Lowe then sent me the following text message.
Are you telling me these messages are sent in your capacity
as Councillor because mine were not as I am not on duty
as a Councillor today so clearly you are wrong again, we are
getting use to that now like telling lies about another Councillor
being upset by me, complete lies fabrication by an unstable person,
Mr Brookes you professional help before you harm someone or commit
any more criminal activities.
I find many of Cllr Lowes email and text messages are bullying and intimidating
and concerning. The last text message today is a great concern. No one should
have to put up with this continued abuse and lies, I have not committed any
criminal act as he states.
I am no expert so I won't comment like Cllr Lowe on his mental health but I
will say he is unfit to be our Mayor and Chairman.
He and the old guard are obsessed with their campaign to remove me from
their little club know as Oakham Town Council.
I was hoping after the 2013 court case things would have improved, they
have not. They just get worse. Oakham Town Council chose to ignore
the comments made by the district judge and the comments made by you
and the author of the Wilkin Chapman report.
Over the last year Oakham Town Council has done nothing for the town
accept put up shoddy hanging baskets a party in the park and of course there
are the poor costly Christmas lights. This council needs to start doing more
and stop spending most of its times excluding me from council business.
From
Martin Brookes OSE Cllr
Dear Mrs Mogg,
Thank you for inviting me to the meeting this morning.
I am astonished that Rutland County Council is commissioning another
investigation after the previous pointless investigation which cost the
Rutland tax payers over £10,000.
I say pointless because it told me and many others what is already known.
The Town Council is failing and continues to fail to provide any real purpose
for the residents of Oakham.
I have decided once again I do not want public money wasted and will not
participate in the pointless investigation.
The previous report has largely been ignored by Oakham Town Council
and as the old guard is hell bent on excluding me they were happy to
exclude me from any council activities setting no time limited this is not
helpful,
I am happy to give the following comments to the investigator.
Regarding the first complaint from Allison Greaves the Assistant Clerk
When Allison Greaves sent the Mayor an email which included a comment
about me, The Mayor Cllr Adam Lowe shared that email aware of me.
I told Allison. When I visited the office I was recording I had made members
of the council and staff at the time I did this. During that visit Allison said she
was sorry and read out a email she was just sending me. In that email she basically
said the council was crap and we were all responsible for that.
I went home and published the video. Allison objected and I was accused of
bullying.
Since then your report has stated Allison Greaves feel threatened by my actions
I find it hard how anyone can say they feel threatened by me publishing a video
of them saying sorry for there poor conduct towards me and saying their employer
was basically crap.
Allison Greaves has told me that the video makes her feel and look stupid that
I would suggest is a more honest thing to say and if she feels that way that is not my
fault.
The Second complaints
I do not want to comment on all this.
I will remind you and the investigator that anything I have published regarding
the ex Clerk and the former fitness centre is done with the protection afforded to
be by the whistle blowers act and the public interest act.
The Clerk broke local government acts and failed to complete many
of his contractually obligations and was paid £18,000 to go quietly at his
request. The tax payer also paid his legal fees something he or his union
should have paid not the tax payer.
The old fitness centre. At times it is very unclear what is confidential and
not. only this week the incompetent Cllr Michael Haley gave out confidential
figures in a meeting. I had not published the figures because even up to this
week he said they were confidential. I believe it is in the public interest that
the council has let a public asset with no agreement signed and is only currently
receiving £100 a month on a commercial property valued at around £15,000 a year.
It is also in the public interest that the property is being leased for 99 years
for no charge for the lease. I wish I could have obtained my lease for nothing
and only paid the ground rent.
You do not need to ask an investigator to find out if I have been kicked out of a meeting
since August. You could ask the Clerk and the answer would be know.
The last tine I was kicked out was when Cllr Lowe lost the plot and assaulted me
and damaged my personal property.
The police took no action.
He went on to lie by sending me unpleasant emails which you have seen, he
says I damaged his clothes and caused him ABH
Regarding Complaint Three
This is the first time I have seen this complaint and I have asked the Mayor
Cllr Adam Lowe to retract it.
I was not carrying a knife as stated in the report I know that would be
a serious offence.
He lies when he says I damaged the notice board. I caused no damage
to any property.
Please can you explain how opening a public notice board and photographing
a public document which the council had refused to give me is being disrespectful?
After our meeting I telephone Cllr Adam Lowe and due to a poor signal the call
dropped out I was unable to make a new call, so I waited a while and at 13.00
I sent Cllr Adam Lowe a text message:
Are you going to retract your lies about the knife and damage.
Cllr Lowe failed to reply so I sent this text message:
No answer so I guess you are not and you will be happy with the
subsequent publicity?
Cllr Lowe then replied in a very unacceptable manner:
Not sure what u r on about, however, I believe I stated it appeared
to be a knife or pliers, regardless you have already confirmed it was
pliers which confirms you now go equipped to commit an offence
but u r use to breaking the law. As regards ur normal threats well
bullies never change do they and lastly I am not changing anything
because you always lie and make up your own warped stories to
fulfill your own goals. U clearly need medical help.
I responded:
Piss Off Adam and thank you I will be providing your
text message response as evidence that you are the investigator
Cllr Lowe then sent me the following text message.
Are you telling me these messages are sent in your capacity
as Councillor because mine were not as I am not on duty
as a Councillor today so clearly you are wrong again, we are
getting use to that now like telling lies about another Councillor
being upset by me, complete lies fabrication by an unstable person,
Mr Brookes you professional help before you harm someone or commit
any more criminal activities.
I find many of Cllr Lowes email and text messages are bullying and intimidating
and concerning. The last text message today is a great concern. No one should
have to put up with this continued abuse and lies, I have not committed any
criminal act as he states.
I am no expert so I won't comment like Cllr Lowe on his mental health but I
will say he is unfit to be our Mayor and Chairman.
He and the old guard are obsessed with their campaign to remove me from
their little club know as Oakham Town Council.
I was hoping after the 2013 court case things would have improved, they
have not. They just get worse. Oakham Town Council chose to ignore
the comments made by the district judge and the comments made by you
and the author of the Wilkin Chapman report.
Over the last year Oakham Town Council has done nothing for the town
accept put up shoddy hanging baskets a party in the park and of course there
are the poor costly Christmas lights. This council needs to start doing more
and stop spending most of its times excluding me from council business.
From
Martin Brookes OSE Cllr
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
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"
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
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
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