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Oakham Town Council is facing a wave of public fury following its decision to greenlight a £25,000 feasibility study into the future of The Vale, a vital community hub that currently serves as the home to both Oakham Bowls Club and Oakham Tennis Club. The controversial move has sparked widespread panic among club members and local residents who fear the historic sporting facilities are being lined up for a lucrative sell-off to housing developers.
The brewing crisis reached a boiling point on Tuesday 12th May, during the annual town meeting. A significantly larger than normal crowd packed into the venue to demand answers from local councillors. Because early discussions regarding the site's future were held during an exempt, closed-door session of a previous council meeting, residents and club members were left entirely in the dark, only discovering the council's intentions after the £25,000 expenditure had already been approved.
The council’s scrutiny of the site follows a recently commissioned surveyor's report that highlighted a series of costly maintenance issues, including structural problems with the roof and the presence of asbestos. Although the town council is not legally responsible for these repairs, the possible financial burden of the upkeep prompted Councillors Paul Ainsley to spearhead a proposal to explore alternative options for the land. The approved feasibility study is set to examine a formal land valuation, a development appraisal, a planning assessment, and a site search for potentially relocating both clubs.
However, accusations of financial greed have intensified the community's anger. Councillor Martin Brookes claimed that when he another councillor challenged the ultimate objective of the study, Cllr Ainsley allegedly admitted that the end goal was "housing and the council will make a few million.” This revelation drew fierce criticism at Tuesday's forum, where local resident Ben Callaghan publicly called for Cllr Ainsley's resignation, stating he had absolutely no faith in the council's judgment and accused Cllr Ainsley of letting the entire town down. Club members also voiced their dismay, with bowler John Willcock branding the £25,000 study a ludicrous waste of public money and urging leadership to halt the expenditure immediately.
In the face of relentless public backlash, council members have rapidly shifted into damage control. Cllr Ainsley defended the measure by insisting that nothing has been predetermined, arguing that it is simply logical to gather expert recommendations when faced with large refurbishment bills. Meanwhile, Council Chairman Chris Nix, who was absent when the original vote was cast, pledged that the council has nothing to hide. He promised a robust public consultation phase, stating that it is not the council’s intention to misrepresent the public or curtail local sporting activities.
As the situation stands, the study is funded by £10,000 from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund alongside £15,000 from the council’s own reserves. However, the decision may soon be completely reversed. In direct response to the public outcry, newly appointed Chairman Councillor Martin Brookes supports Cllr Chris Nix call for a meeting so he is set to convene an extraordinary meeting of the council on Thursday 28th May, where councillors will formally revisit the issue and potentially scrap the study altogether.
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