New Buildings In 1910
The Housing Question
New Industries Wanted

  A meeting of this Council was held on Wednesday night, when there were present: Mr. F. Knight (chairman), Mr. J. Claridge (vice-chairman), the Ven. A. Kitchin, Messrs. G. H. Skinner, G. Miller, F. Ballard, C. E. Bayes, J. S. Clipson, T. Swindall, C. Bates, J. Spencer, and W. Bazeley, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. W. G. F. Kingston).

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 21^st December, 1910, when there were present:- Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), J. Claridge, C. E. Bayes, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, F. Ballard, and G. Miller.

Plans

were presented by:-

  The Co-operative Society for open shed on their premises off Newton-road and passed subject to the roof water being satisfactorily dealt with.

  The Central Machinery Company for sheds on their premises in Rectory-road and no exception taken, subject to all sides being constructed of corrugated iron instead of wood as shown on the plan.

  Messrs. Ashford and Campion for trolley shed and store house on their premises off the Newton-road, and no exception taken if constructed entirely of corrugated iron.

Brook – John-Street

  A letter was received from Mr. Frederick Corby calling attention to the fact that the Surveyor had removed the iron fence erected by him across the brook some short time ago with the consent of the Council, and enquiring what was now proposed to be done in the matter.  The Surveyor explained to the Committee that the iron fencing placed by the Council and Mr. Corby across the brook seriously impeded its flow and that in consequence of the late heavy rains it had been necessary to remove both fences to prevent the flooding of property higher up the brook.  The Committee agreed that it would not be wise to replace the fencing in the brook, and instructed the Surveyor to erect an unclimbable iron fence along the east side, the length of the public footpath.

Roadside Ditches

  The Surveyor reported on the state of the ditches on the Wymington and Bedford roads.  With regard to the former, the Clerk was instructed to write to Mr. G. H. Skinner asking him to be good enough to comply with the notice served upon him by the Surveyor requiring him to clean out the ditch belonging to the field occupied by him.  As to that on the Bedford-road, the question of reconstruction of the culvert was involved, and it was resolved to leave the matter over until the Surveyor submits his estimate to the County Surveyor for the main road maintenance and then include an item in respect of this culvert.

Telephone Poles

  Permission was granted to the National Telephone Co. to erect a line of poles along the Hayway on the usual conditions.

Street Naming

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to make a slight alteration with regard to Station-road and Midland-road, viz., that in future the whole of the road from Wellingborough-road to High-street be known as Station-road and that Midland-road commence at its junction with Station-road near Messrs. Jaques and Clark’s factory.

Washbrook-Road Bridge

  The Surveyor reported that this bridge had been damaged during the late bad weather, and was instructed to repair same temporarily with a view to re-construction next year if the estimates will so allow.

New Buildings

  The Surveyor reported that during the past year plans for the following buildings had been passed by the Council:-

  The Surveyor reported that Mr. Skinner had complied with the Council’s request.

  Mr. Spencer asked whether the 29 new houses for which plans had been passed included Mr. Willmott’s 14 houses on the Washbrook-road.

  It was stated that the 14 houses were included, as the plans had been passed.

  Mr. Spencer said it had been suggested that there was no intention to build the houses and that the plans were only brought forward to stop a housing scheme.

  Mr. Bayes said Mr. Willmott told him that he was going to start on the houses in the new year.

  Mr. Spencer said he was pleased to hear that.  He was only anxious that there should be more houses in the town, because they were very much needed.

  The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

  A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings, on Tuesday, the 3^rd January, 1911, at 10 a.m., when there were present:- Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), G. H. Skinner, F. Ballard, and T. Swindall.

Surveyor’s Cash Account

  The Committee examined the Surveyor’s cash account with the wages books, the expenditure shown therein being as follows:-

Collector’s Accounts

  The Committee examined the Collector’s accounts, from which it appeared that the following sums had been collected since the last meeting:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

  The Treasurer’s accounts were also examined from which it appeared that he had received the following sums since the last meeting:-

  And that the balances on the undermentioned accounts were as follows:

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

  A number of accounts, amounting to £700/10/1 were examined and passed for payment.

Surveyor’s Office Staff

  The Surveyor informed the Committee that Mr. Lloyd’s Articles expired on the 31^st December last and that it would now be necessary to reconsider the matter of his salary.  It was resolved to recommend the Council to retain Mr. Lloyd’s services and to pay him a salary of £70 for the current year, dating from the 1^st January, rising to £80 on the 1^st January, 1912.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to increase Leonard Pennes’ salary from 7/6 to 10/0 per week dating from the 1^st January.  The report was adopted.

Health and Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 4^th January, 1911, when there were present: - Messrs. J. Claridge (chairman), F. Knight, J. Spencer, C. Bates, G. H. Skinner, T. Swindall, and the Ven. A. Kitchin.

Health and Sanitary Reports

  The Medical Officer reported that only one case of infectious disease had been notified since the last meeting, viz., erysipelas.

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that, during the month of December, 27 informal and one statutory notice had been issued, calling attention to nuisances, etc., which for the most part were receiving attention.

  The Inspector also reported that as instructed at the last meeting he had duly served a Council notice on Mr. Thomas Patenall requiring him to provide a suitable manure pit to his stable in Elm-street, and upon subsequent enquiry he was informed that Mr. Patenall had ceased keeping a horse there.

  The Inspector gave a detailed statement of his work during the past month.

Slaughter-House Licences

  Applications were received from Messrs. E. Warren, E. Hollis, and James Knight for renewals of their slaughter-house licences, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to comply therewith.

Petroleum Acts

  Applications for the renewals of their licences to deal in petrol and carbide of calcium were received as follows:-

It was resolved to recommend the Council to accede to the applications.

Medical Officer Of Health

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to re-appoint Dr. F. H. Morris, Medical Officer of Health for the District, for one year from the 24^th inst. at a salary of £50.

Housing and Town Planning, Etc., Act

  Inspection of Houses.- A letter was received from Mr. J. S. Mason, acting on behalf of Dr. Owen, making suggestions with regard to the works which he was prepared to carry out at his property in High-street and Beaconsfield-place.  It was agreed to accept the proposals as satisfactory.  With regard, however, to the houses in Beaconsfield-place, if it was found impracticable to carry out the work suggested it was understood that the same would be closed by the owner without further steps being necessary on behalf of the Council.

  A letter was received from Mr. C. A. K. Green with reference to the houses in Albion-place, asking that the matter might be allowed to stand over for one month in order to give him an opportunity of further considering the matter with his co-trustee.  This was also agreed to.

Refuse Receptacles

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that Mr. A. O. Groome had now complied with the Council notice served upon him, requiring him to provide suitable receptacles for the houses in Kilburn-place, referred to in the Inspector’s report of the 5^th October last.

  The report was adopted.

Surveyor’s Salary

  The Finance and Estates Committee reported that they had under consideration that evening an application from the Surveyor for an increase of salary.  They had decided to recommend the Council to increase the salary of the Surveyor from £200 to £230 per annum on the understanding that this amount was the maximum and that Mr. Madin have no further claim on the Council in connection with the work done on the new sewage works.

  The Committee also recommended that the property left at the junction of Queen-street and Rectory-road after the Rectory-road improvement be offered by auction on January 30^th by Mr. John Mason.

  The report was adopted.

  The Surveyor thanked the Council for the favour extended to him.  He had done his best to consider the interests of the town and the Council and would do the same in the future.

Medical Officer’s Re-Appointment

  On the motion of Mr. Claridge, Dr. Morris was re-appointed Medical Officer for the ensuing year.

New Industries

  Mr. Spencer gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council he would move that a committee be formed to try and obtain new industries for the town.