Oakham Town Council convened for an Extraordinary Meeting of the Full Council on Thursday, 21st May 2026, to push through critical interim staffing measures and address pressing governance challenges. With the Town Clerk currently absent during one of the most demanding periods of the municipal calendar, councillors voted to immediately recruit both a locum clerk and a temporary administrator to steer the authority through the coming weeks.
The council currently finds itself under significant pressure as it prepares its mandatory Annual Governance Return. The urgency of the situation is heightened by the fact that the council’s internal auditor is scheduled to arrive for an official visit next week. To stabilise operations and address long-standing personnel challenges, the council has officially appointed an external HR company to oversee current staffing issues and provide professional support to the remaining workforce.
Chairman of the Council, Cllr Martin Brookes, strongly backed the move to bring in external HR expertise, noting that a lack of professional guidance has historically hindered the authority. He stated that because none of the sitting councillors are qualified in employment matters, the appointment will be of great benefit to both the council and its staff. In fact, Cllr Brookes noted that he feels this lack of professional oversight has been the main driver behind the chronic staffing issues the council has experienced for many years.
During recent comments, Cllr Brookes has taken the opportunity to publicly praise and thank Ms. Palmer. Having initially joined the council as a temporary administrative assistant a year ago during the Clerk's absence, Ms. Palmer is currently working under immense pressure, single-handedly carrying out the combined workloads of the absent Clerk, absent Deputy Clerk, and Administrative Assistant.
The next meeting is scheduled for next Thursday, 28th May 2026. That meeting has been called specifically so councillors can formally revisit a previous, highly debated decision regarding The Vale, which serves as the home for the Oakham Bowls and Tennis Club.
In addition to that matter, the council will also consider applications to co-opt two new members to its ranks. If the two candidates are successfully co-opted next week, it will bring the total number of sitting councillors to ten, marking the highest membership the local authority has seen in years.
Addressing long-standing local criticisms, Cllr Brookes firmly denies allegations that he is responsible for the historically low membership numbers on the council over the years. He stated that since his return to the council over a year ago, they have only lost one member, adding that the departure was no great loss and that the person was replaced by a much better quality of councillors as the local authority has grown.
Looking ahead, the Chairman expressed optimism about filling the chamber entirely, noting that reaching a membership of ten would be a major milestone. He added that he would like to see two more members join after that to complete a full council, which he described as a great achievement that the council has not seen for over ten years.
Residents who are passionate about their local community and wish to help shape the future of Oakham are being urged to step forward. Anyone interested in joining Oakham Town Council via co-option is encouraged to contact the council office directly to request an application pack.
01572 723627
enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
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