Friction and Confusion at Oakham Town Council Meeting

Friction and Confusion at Oakham Town Council

By Rutland Democracy Reporter

Gemini said

Rutland Democracy Reporter

A meeting of the Oakham Town Council last night was marked by administrative blunders, financial scrutiny, and a walkout that left the session un-quorate before it could conclude.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Paul Ainsley in the absence of Chairman Cllr Chris Nix. Cllr John Harris was also noted as absent; a request for Cllr Harris to vote remotely was denied by the Clerk, who noted that all COVID-era legislation allowing remote participation has now expired.

The council conducted its annual Bank Signatory Review considering a confidential list, citing security following previous instances of banking fraud and theft. However, Cllr Martin Brookes raised a significant red flag, alleging that members had been "misled" for years.

Cllr Brookes pointed out that while members believed all accounts required two signatures, several only required one.

The council is reportedly in the process of closing the single-signature accounts.

Despite these concerns, financial management appears to be stabilising, as the monthly accounts were approved quickly following brief explanations.

A new committee was established to assist the Clerk with end-of-year returns and budgeting. Amendments were made to the Terms of Reference to ensure the public and press are only excluded for legally valid reasons (e.g., staff pay or tenders) rather than as a general rule.

Councillors agreed to replace faulty head fitments with LEDs. The decision was met with some "annoyance" as only one quote was provided, and the Clerk had already instructed the contractor to replace one light prior to the vote.

Cleaning was approved for Princess Avenue, Cutts Close, and Willow Crescent. Again, the lack of competitive bidding was an issue; one company quoted for all three, while another provided a "very high" quote for just one. The Clerk will oversee the contractor’s performance on the first site before proceeding with the others.

Bandstand Repairs were approved, but not without a clash. Cllr Brookes questioned the reliance on a single quote for "pointing and rendering," suggesting local builders are easily found on social media. This prompted an angry response from the Admin Assistant, who accused Brookes of questioning her professional integrity.

LGBT Advocacy Cllr Brookes reported that after the Town Council limited the flying of the LGBT flag to just the first and last days of February, he successfully lobbied Rutland County Council at the request of the LGBT community to fly an additional flag outside the County Library for the duration of LGBT History Month.

The council approved £250 for Morris Dancers to perform on April 26, 2026, the start and finish of the CiCLE Classic will for the second year happen in Oakham.

Planning, Cllr Brookes requested the council consider its stance on the Rutland Wild development. Currently, the Town Council no longer provides comments on planning applications.

Grit Bins a new Grit Bin Policy was formally agreed upon.

Administrative "Chaos" and Deferred Items, The meeting hit a wall during the Christmas & Events report. A proposal to use contract underspend for a real Christmas tree and improved lighting was forgotten, it was clear that councillors had been issued with different agendas.

"The agenda numbers did not match... it was evident some members, including the chairman, had been provided with different agendas." The Chairman was issued another agenda. Cllr Brookes says his confusion was caused by his agenda an numbering that did not match the supporting documents.

Other items deferred included:

Parks and Open Spaces Policy needs further work on insurance and regulation compliance.

Volunteer Recruitment Cllr Ainsley requested a deferral due to a lack of detail regarding terms, conditions, and costs.

Watering ProvisionThe Clerk is to review all planters and baskets as the current contract has ended.

Meeting Collapses During Final Agenda Item

The atmosphere soured as the meeting reached "Councillors Questions." Cllr Ainsley was expected to question Cllr Brookes on matters that have reportedly caused significant friction outside the chamber.

Before the questions could be asked, Cllr Martin Brookes and Cllr Sally-Anne Wadsworth left the meeting. Their departure left the council un-quorate (lacking the minimum number of members to legally make decisions), forcing the Clerk to close the meeting prematurely.

NEXT MEETING: 11th March 2026 at 6:30pm.