Rutland Day Celebration Called Off by Oakham Town Council

Rutland Day Celebration Called Off by Oakham Town Council

Oakham Town Council has announced the cancellation of this year's Rutland Day event, citing concerns over the availability of key participants and potential low attendance. The decision comes after discussions between the council office and Councillor Wadsworth regarding the schedules of dignitaries and entertainers.

In a statement, the council office explained their reasoning: "Given the limited availability of entertainment and the risk of a low turnout, we believe it would be more appropriate to allocate public funds to other initiatives. We are keen to ensure that events are delivered to a high standard, and we would prefer not to proceed with one that may fall short of expectations."

This cancellation is particularly noteworthy as the council had already begun preparations for the event. They had been actively seeking stallholders through their social media channels and had even informed Rutland County Council about the proposed closure of Mill Street and High Street to accommodate the celebrations.

Looking ahead, the council office has suggested a new approach for future event planning. They recommend that all events be scheduled and confirmed at the beginning of each financial year. This proactive measure aims to provide sufficient notice to both attendees and collaborators, ultimately enhancing overall planning and participation.

It has also come to light that a contributing factor to the cancellation was a scheduling conflict, with a member of the office staff reportedly having booked a holiday this week, clashing with the proposed September date for Rutland Day.

There is also a concern that the decission to cancel the event was made by two people and not the full council at a meeting.