Oakham Town Council Unlicensed Sockets and "Stolen" Electricity
In a series of events that has left locals and councillors alike stunned, the Oakham Town Council (OTC) Clerk is under fire for a string of administrative oversteps involving a listed building, a local charity, and a complete lack of formal authorisation.
What began as a simple directive to explore logistics for a farmers' market has spiraled into a potential legal and ethical quagmire.
The controversy began when the Clerk was instructed by the Full Council to obtain quotes for the installation of external power sockets. These sockets were intended to support a local farmers' market on a building with significant historical value.
However, instead of returning to the council with figures for approval, the Clerk allegedly bypassed the decision-making process and arranged the installation immediately. This move skipped two vital hurdles. The council had not yet voted to proceed with the work or the expenditure. As the structure is a listed building, any physical alterations require specific planning permission.
Rutland County Council confirmed today that no such permission was granted. They are currently "awaiting the application" for a project that has already been completed a move that effectively puts the Town Council in breach of planning laws.
If the administrative bypass wasn't enough, the situation took a darker turn regarding the source of the power. The sockets were wired into the electricity supply of the Citizens Advice (CA).
At a recent full council meeting, the Clerk publicly stated that Oakham Town Council was not paying Citizens Advice for the electricity being used. This admission has sparked moral outrage, particularly after a technical fault with the Gaol Street Christmas lights led contractors to plug the festive display directly into these new sockets effectively running the town's holiday lights on the charity
"The shocking part of this is that anyone thinks it’s acceptable for the Town Council to take electricity from a charity." Cllr Martin Brookes
The situation presents a triple-threat of liability for the council Altering a listed building without consent can lead to enforcement notices or even criminal charges in extreme cases The Clerk's decision to authorise work without a council vote undermines the democratic control of public funds. Using a charity’s resources to power municipal projects has drawn sharp criticism.
As Rutland County Council waits for the retrospective planning paperwork, Oakham Town Council must now face the reality of a project that was literally and figuratively "unplugged" from proper procedure.
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