After 6 years on Oakham Town Council, born and bred Rutlander Sally-Anne Wadsworth was elected as Oakham's new Mayor. 

Sally-Anne, who owns the school uniform shop in Crown Walk, was elected on Wednesday the 18th of May 2022 after holding the post of Deputy Mayor for 2 years. 

Sally-Anne said that stepping up for the chance to become Oakham's Mayor was "just the next step. I had been on the council for a while and felt that it was time to step up to the plate. I want to see if I can organise smoother meetings and arrange a more cooperative council. 

 "I love Oakham. I have seen it grow into what it is. I own a business in the town. I want people to live here because they want to live here and enjoy what Oakham can provide – it can't just be a commuter town. We have a lot of plans that aim to keep this a reality.

"My plan has always been to improve the town; the look, the feel of it, because residents feel that it is being neglected in a big way."

This can be seen in the opinion pieces shared by Oakham Nub News readers over the past months, with residents saying that Oakham is "in dire need of a facelift" and "needs a spring clean".

Well, Sally-Anne is listening and since her appointment as Mayor, Oakham Town Council have set aside funds to employ an 'odd jobs man', as Sally-Anne put it to tidy the parks and town centre. An application for this role will be released once the details are finalised. 

Sally-Anne said: "Oakham Town Council seems to have a poor relationship with the local people, and my plan has always been to change that. This is why we want to bring in an odd jobs man as well as providing more for the youth of the community.

Sally-Anne added: "We are also excited about employing someone who can help out with the Sunday concerts in the park – putting out chairs and the like." 

More concerts will be hosted at Cutts Close this summer. These began over the Jubilee weekend and will be running through to the August bank holiday. Residents can catch these bands from 2:30pm until 4:30pm every Sunday.

Click here to find out more.

Sally-Anne continued: "When I first joined the council they used to have the occasional band in the park – so in my mind people weren't going to them as they didn't know when they were, so once I had been here for a little while I suggested that we should do them every Sunday so that people knew it was a regular community event."

To ensure that Oakham locals know about these events, here at Nub News we will be regularly sharing the Cutts Close concert dates on our Facebook and Twitter.

On top of continuing her initiative to host more community events, such as these concerts in the park, Sally-Anne also got heavily involved with the Jubilee celebrations and could be seen hanging bunting around Oakham on the run up to the long weekend in early June. 

Sally-Anne added: "I will be attending Oakham Pride in full regalia – I am all for diversity and inclusivity. If you know me, you know I have friends from every walk of life. It's an important milestone for Oakham, and one I am really looking forward to.

"It will also be wonderful to get out there and listen to people, to hear what their opinion of the town is. I want to use this position to access people and talk to the community. 

"The youth need our help. They haven't got anything to do. We were looking at the provisions of the swimming pool, which we now know is going to be knocked down. A Sunday morning event preceding the music in Cutts Close for the younger generation would be good – it's all a bit 'pie in the sky' at the moment, but I am really interested in doing it."

Sally-Anne has two children, one of whom is only 13, so the youth projects are something close to her heart. Millie has already embraced her role as Sally-Anne's consort, accompanying her to events and supporting her as she grows accustomed to her new role. 

Showing her support for the youth and community, Sally-Anne has already seen a donation of £560 sent to local charity, Root & Branch Out, who support a range of community and youth oriented events. While Sally-Anne has not yet chosen a charity to support as her time as Mayor, she hinted that she has big plans – so watch this space! 

Due to the Covid restrictions and limitations, Oakham's 2021/22 Mayor Zoë Nealson was unable to host a civic event for her chosen charity, Peppers – A Safe Place. Find out more here.

As such, Sally-Anne hopes to host a civic event or two during her time as Mayor: "A community event would be wonderful. Hopefully with no more lockdowns we can get on with it and make money for a local charity."

Sally-Anne isn't only interested in the civic events though. She feels passionate about maintaining the position of Oakham as Rutland's quaint but lively County Town. 

As such, she hopes to get involved in the conversation surrounding local development and business. 

While she does not have the authority of Rutland County Council in this area, she spoke about the importance of ensuring Oakham residents are listened to and cared for: "We have been promised shops and doctors surgeries and they have never materialised because they have never been actioned. The developers then put houses on them. I would like to get involved and make sure that these things happen." 

Sally-Anne concluded: "My parents lived in Rutland forever too. My mum was born in Ashwell! I love Oakham, I have lived here forever. It's why I am so passionate about it and want to use this year to support the Oakham residents.

 "It would be nice to get some of the empty shops filled and for the landlords to encourage more turnover, to run a more co-operative Town Council, and to really listen to and engage with the people of Oakham."

 Sally-Anne can be found in her shop down Crown Walk, where the rail of free and donated uniform is available for those in need – as well as hand-me-down garments great for gardening work, art projects and more. 

Sally-Anne encourages residents to pop by for a chat and looks forward to her next year in office as Oakham's 2022/23 Mayor.