From Town Criers to Tree Surveys: Oakham Council Tackles Finances, Lights, and Loud Voices

From Town Criers to Tree Surveys: Oakham Council Tackles Finances, Lights, and Loud Voices

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Oakham Town Council's latest meeting covered a diverse and often lively agenda, seeing major steps taken in financial governance, public amenities, and the introduction of a new, rather audible, official.Town Crier Appointed Amidst Volume Concerns

Perhaps the most colourful event of the evening was the appointment of an official Town Crier. The council enthusiastically approved the hire and committed to purchasing a uniform at a cost of just under £500, which will remain the council's property. The newly appointed Town Crier gave a demonstration of her abilities right there in the council chamber. The powerful display prompted a visiting Rutland County Council representative to humorously ask if "the lady has a volume control."

Streetlights and Picnic Benches Dominate Public Input

Two key matters brought forward by residents sparked significant discussion. A resident's request for street lighting on an unlit path leading off Burley Road was met with council support. Given that Rutland County Council does not have a budget allocated for new installations, Oakham Town Council agreed to spend money from its reserves to fund the project, setting a maximum budget and requesting an exact cost from Rutland County Council's Clerk.

The proposal to install picnic benches on Barleythorpe Field (also known as Centenary Field) was raised by another resident but was deferred by the council. Councillors are seeking more cost-effective quotes and clarity on the provision of accompanying litter and recycling bins before moving forward.

Financial Governance Tightened After Audit Report

A key focus of the evening was financial administration and transparency. Councillors acknowledged receipt of an EXTERNAL AUDIT report, which was openly described as "not a good report." In response, the council is actively working on improving its financial governance, including a revision and tightening of its financial regulations. The commitment was further underscored by agreeing to FILCA training (Finance, Law, and Administration) for all staff and members of the finance working group.

In related matters, the council finally confirmed the accuracy of the minutes from the annual meeting held back on May 14th, 2025, after rejecting them for inaccuracy over the last five months. The minutes of the more recent September 10th meeting were accepted without issue.

The council also approved a backlog of financial accounts, including the bank statements and budget for August and September 2025, but only after corrections were made to the August accounts that had been rejected previously.

Discussions surrounding the Oakham Hopper Bus Service and a £29,000 bill from Rutland County Council for the 2025-2026 period were deferred to the next meeting.

New Policies and Amenity Updates

In other decisions, the council:

Agreed to adopt the iconic TELEPHONE KIOSK on Market Square.

Approved a new policy regarding email communications with office staff.

Agreed to install new metered sockets on Market Square, replacing existing ones. This aims to resolve a health and safety issue and stop traders from taking electricity freely—the original sockets were intended solely for Christmas lights.

Confirmed the CHRISTMAS Light Switch On will go ahead, engaging several companies to provide family entertainment for what is anticipated to be a "fun event for all."

Agreed to maintain the web hosting fee for the Discover Oakham Website.

Added "Rutland Day" to its FLAG FLYING POLICY.

Agreed to appoint a contractor to carry out an annual survey of all the trees it is responsible for, a task last completed in October 2023. This follows recent concerns over lack of maintenance, including unfinished work in Cutts Close and the recent removal of a dead tree from the churchyard.

Councillor Anna Douthwaite was noted as absent from the meeting. The next meeting is expected to continue discussions on the Oakham Hopper Bus and the Picnic Benches proposal. 

DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING: 12^th November 2025 at 6:30pm