Friday, November 06, 2015

Neighbourhood Plan Oakham Town Council Have your say in Your Town's Development?

Neighbourhood Plan

Oakham Town Council have amended their online article:

Have your say in Your Town's Development?

Oakham Town Council will be deciding in December whether to write a community-led Neighbourhood Plan that will direct the future development of Oakham. The Neighbourhood Plan will be part of the statutory development plan for the town and give far more weight to the views of the community in any development proposals.

It will be about the use and development of land and contain planning policies, proposals for improving the area, the provision of new facilities or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. It will almost certainly deal with social issues i.e. housing, employment, heritage and transport which are relevant to Oakham.

Oakham Town Council estimates it will take about two years to finalise and once complete will be subject to a public referendum. If successful, it will go forward to the Local Planning Authority, Rutland County Council, for independent examination before coming into effect.

Subject to members agreeing to go ahead with the Plan at the meeting of the Council scheduled for December 9th 2015, it intends to commence in earnest early in 2016. However, in the meantime it would like to provide information for members of the community to better understand the process and to indicate whether they want to be involved.

Two information sessions will be held in the Town Council's Offices, just inside the Victoria Hall, in Oakham on 14th and 21st November from 10.00am until 2.00pm to provide information on Neighbourhood Planning and answer any questions you may have.

If you are keen to join the Group that will influence future development in the Town or just interested in what the Council is doing come along to one of the information sessions and we will be pleased to hear your views and discuss it further with you.

Perhaps you have felt powerless in the past to influence any development in the town then this is a real opportunity for you to change that and be directly involved. The Council looks forward to meeting you.

Alf Dewis, Chairman of Oakham Town Council stated, "This is an ideal opportunity for members of the community who are interested in influencing the direction and the way the town is to develop to be fully involved in writing the Neighbourhood Plan that will carry more weight when planning decisions are considered".

If you are interested but unable to attend either of the sessions please contact the Town Clerk on 01572 723627 or email enquiries@oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk with your name and contact details


This is a rare invitation from our chairman to involve the community something he and the 
old guard detest. At our last informal meeting (recorded) I suggested the management committee
could be set up to run the towns cemetery, if  Oakham Town Council are to take it from RCC next year. I suggest the committee cold include members of the public
Mr Dewis responded "No we don't need the public" I think that answer explains a lot about Oakham Town Council and Mr Dewis.

I personally hope Mr Dewis and Co's greatest fears are achieved as a result of the neighbourhood
plan. I attended a seminar at RCC an met many new parish councillors who became councillors
after becoming involved in the preparation of their neighborhood plans. I hope this happens
in Oakham its time the local people took back their council from the likes of Cllr Dewis and 
Co who are not interested including the public.