Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Oakham Town Council Unlawful Exclusion From Neighborhood Plan Working Group

This evening the majority of Oakham Town Councillors decided to prove that
they have no real interest in the future of Oakham.
and then excluded me from being involved with the working group who
are tasked with starting the neighbourhood plan.
I have written to Oakham Town Council reminding them it is a strict legal
requirement that all members of the community are involved and no one
who is willing to contribute can be ignored or excluded.


Dear Oakham Town Council

The Neighbourhood plan is led by the Parish Council, everyone can be involved, indeed this 
is an essential requirement set in law.

The actions of the majority of Oakham Town Council this evening, (9th September 2015) contravenes
the legal requirements to involve all members of the community in the preparation of the plan.

No other member wanted to join the Town Councils small Neighbourhood Plan Working Group.

I was grateful to Cllr Lowe for seconding my offer. This was not accepted by the majority of the
council who appear to not want to be involved in the implementation of a Neighbourhood Plan
for Oakham.

Perhaps another example of how irrelevant this council has become within our community.

At various stages of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan it is subject to independent inspection 
that inspector will check all the requirements are met and that includes involving all those
who want to be involved.

At the first inspection I will be sending this email to the Inspector if the council continues
to exclude me from the process.

If the council does not follow all the legal requirements the plan will be rejected
and become a very costly pointless exercise.

I am not just a ward Councillor for Oakham South East, who will want to seek residents
input for the plan I am and also a resident and property owner.

I find your constant exclusion of me from Council activities unacceptable and in this
case unlawful.

From

Martin Brookes