Thursday, July 26, 2012

Oakham Town Council Planning & Parks Meeting Report 25th July 2012


Oakham Town Council
Victoria Hall, 39 High Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AH
Telephone: 01572 723627 Fax: 01572 759395
e-mail: enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk

A MEETING OF
OAKHAM TOWN COUNCIL’S
PLANNING AND PARKS COMMITTEE
7.00PM WEDNESDAY JULY 25th 2012
VICTORIA HALL, 39, HIGH STREET, OAKHAM

Report

I attended last nights meeting along with 3 other members of the public who departed at various points throughout the meeting.

Before the comedy show started there was a serious moment as the Chairman of the Planning committee asked us all to stand for a moments reflection to remember Hector Wolley a past Oakham Town Councillor who's funeral had been conducted earlier in the day.


APOLOGIES - Standing Order 1(u)

apologies for absence were received from Cllr John Nowell no reason given most likely at his funny handshake club, Rotary or Lions?
Councillor agreed to approve his apologies for absence I am not sure what happens if they don't?


DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members are asked to declare any interest they may have in respect to items on the agenda none were declared

MINUTES
To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Planning and Parks Committee held on
Wednesday June 27th 2012 these were approved

COUNCILLOR’S QUESTIONS
To answer questions previously notified to the Clerk under Standing Order 8 none were asked.

MEMBER’S REPORTS
To receive reports from members relating to the work of the Committee
Cllr Joyce Lucas said she had read a report in the Rutland Times about a fire at Royce Recreation ground, she went to take a look and investigated and could not find any evidence of this fire.


CLERK’S REPORT – For information only
To receive a report from the Clerk

Although the Chairman of the Council Cllr Alf Dewis indicated minutes before the meeting started the
Clerk would be present he failed to turn up.
The Chairman of planning Cllr Adam Lowe looked for an explanation for the clerks absence.
No one could explain where the Town Clerk or his report were.
He looked questionably at the Deputy Clerk and after a short pause shrugged his shoulders and said "He's just not here so there is no Clerks Report" and moved onto the next item.

I did not like to suggest he might be very busy attending basic literacy and numeracy classes to assist with his accounting! If he was Money for once very wisely expended.

DEPUTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC
Members of the Public are invited to address the meeting in accordance with procedures laid

I offered to tendered for the contract to put up and take down the towns Christmas lights and for the council to explain how the got into the position where as they pay more to put up and take down the lights than Stamford did to purchase and put up all new lights last Christmas.

I also suggested the Prime Ministers Big Society could kick in and the allotment holders could all get together and cut their hedge row, which the allotment societies are responsible for instead of approaching the town council for funds to alleviate their neglect.

PARKING AT ENTRANCE TO WILLOW CRESCENT ALLOTMENTS

After some considerable debate it was decided no action would be taken and the council would write to the email senders telling them the council will monitor the situation for the next three months or so.

ALLOTMENT HEDGES BACKING ON TO SNELSTON CLOSE

A member of the public connected to the allotments sat very frustrated as Cllr Adam Lowe consistently gave members inaccurate information. The public can only speak at deputations.

Cllr Joyce Lucas despite being told the leaseholders for the allotments were responsible for the hedgerows she suggested all Councillor, should be given a copy of the leases so they could see what the council was currently responsibly for?

It was decided the experts on hedges were the Allotment Societies who have neglected the hedge rows and allowed them to grow in some places to 18 feet or more.

The council would write to them to seek advice on the ideal size of a hedge. this despite Cllr Haworth suggesting 8 feet would be a good height.

One councillor asked "what if the come back to us telling us 18 feet is ideal?" The response was we can tell
them that is not acceptable. :-)

This farce was also repeated at the next item  

10. HEDGES TO THE REAR OF TOLETHORPE CLOSE

PINDERS CIRCUS
To decide whether to grant a request from Pinder’s Circus to use Cutts Close in March 2013
and, if so, to agree on a rental amount

Now this is where the comedy improved, not knowing the amount of rent paid previously Cllr Charles Haworth proposed the circus could come to town and suggested they were charged £300

The assistant Clerk was sent to the office to find out how much was paid previously. This proved a long and difficult task due to the Clerks absence because he locks everything away when he is not at work.
Cllr Lowe pointed out first they must decide if the Circus can come to town  and then set the fee.

Councillors agreed the circus could come to town.

After much debate and refusal to accept Cllt Dewis proposed increase to £350 he went onto to propose
a 10% increase on the £300 which at first was suggested was £310 and very quickly corrected to £330.
This was turned down. by the Chairman's casting vote, even though the chairman voted previously, at Oakham Town Council he gets a second vote if there is a tie?

It was then proposed by Cllt Charles Haworth the Circus should be charged £310 this was accepted

They then moved onto

HOLLAND’S FAIR
To consider a request to use Cutts Close in September 2012 and to decide on an appropriate
rental amount if the request is granted

The farce continued here half the members not wanting the fair and the Chairman of planning Cllr Lowe using his additional vote to allow the fair.but then adding if those who don't want the fair, set a high charge maybe they won't come"

Anyway to cut a long story Cllr Locket who did not want the fair proposed £500 and this was accepted and included a vote of acceptance from the Chair Cllr Adam Lowe.

it was pointed out a local resident had complained about the smell of food and noise from the fair previously and Rutland County Council had responded by saying the fair was a a one of yearly event and if it was repeated this year then the noise level maybe a legal issue.

I find I can't hear the music from my home, unlike other events when I feel like the performance is happening in my garden.

Cllr Dewis after many persistent attempts managed to gain a resolution that the council will look into setting up a structured pricing table. So there is continuity and the council is not seen as they are now just to be picking a sum of money out of the sky.


CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
To consider a report and to award the Contract for the provision of Christmas Lighting in
Oakham for the three year period 2012 - 2015

This was deferred to the next meeting because someone had broken all the pins in the projector plug

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

To consider the following applications received to date and to make recommendations
or observations thereon to Rutland County Council:

(i) APP/2012/0380/APB Mr Mike Ashton
Crown raise 1 No. Weeping Willow to approximately 4m, crown raise 1 No. Beech to
give 1m clearance to Magnolia
51 Stamford Road

The tree warden Cllr Lucas said she had no problem with this work the Magnolia tree was just looking for the light.

The Chairman Cllr Adam Lowe responded "I know how it feels"

 Most people at this point fell about laughing accept Cllr Lucas who wrongly this time, assumed they were laughing at her.

I wonder is it necessary to have a sense of humour lobotomy when one has completed several decades
of service on Oakham Town Council?

The application was approved

(ii) APP/2012/0379/APB (PTA) Mr Saunders
Crown raise 1 No. Oak Tree to approximately 4m. Crown raise 1 No. Hornbeam to
approximately 3m
9 Peterborough Ave

this application was approved

(iii) APP/2012/0393/NT (HSE) Mr Paul Dear
Construction of a ground floor extension to the front (North West) elevation and first
floor side (east) elevation extension to the dwellinghouse
63 Burley Road

at this point Cllr dewis lost the plot and left his seat and snatched the plans from the assistant
Clerk. I agree with his need for professionalism at Town Council meetings but it should not come
at the cost of lack of respect towards your staff.

The plan was approved

(iv) APP/2012/0405/ EZE (HSE) Mr & Mrs Sunley
Orangery extension to rear and associated building works with internal alterations
Woodlands, Schofield Road

approved

(v) APP/2012/0431/ APB (LBA) Mr D Wilson
Install oak beams to the underside of existing joists to prevent any further deflection
19 Mill Street

approved members did not know where or who owned this property, so I broke the rule and spoke to tell them. otherwise I think we would have had to wait some time before someone came back with the info.

(vi) APP/2012/0389/APB (LBA) Mrs Elaine Diggle / Stephen Diggle Jewellers Ltd
Reinstate ground floor interior wall

Approved